food - handling - boredom - germs ???s

[midwife mama]

Ok, more newbie questions:

1) I have 13 chicks who are almost 2 weeks old. The folks at the feed store told me that handling the peeps stresses them out, burdens their system, and can make them grow at a slower rate on account of the stress. I had been thinking that I needed to handle them frequently to get the accustomed to the kids roaming the yard, who will inevitably chase after them and try to pick them up, and was starting to worry that I wasn't handling them enough. Your thoughts? What is a good handling strategy to acclimate them to human contact without stressing them prematurely? Should we just wait until they are older or will we have missed a window?

2) I am hoping to eventually have them on a free-range and whole foods diet, kitchen scraps etc., with feed as supplement. I've heard that the chicks like certain grains and vegetables, fruits too, but mine aren't interested in anything I put in the brooder unless it's starter. Are they simply too young yet to be interested in other things, or am i just offering duds?

3) The chicks desperately try to jump out of the brooder and all they do is run around looking up, making attempts to flee. I suspect that they are bored and maybe need some more stimulation. I think I will start grazing them outside as soon as we get a warm day here in the next week or so, but what else can you do? My son wants to put his trucks in the brooder for the chicks to climb on, but that will just enable them to jump out.

4) Their feed and water containers are constantly covered with pine shavings. Most every time I look inside their box they have no clean water as pine shavings fill the container. I don't know what they would do if I weren't home to change out the water 6 times a day? I don't have a way of rigging up a hanging water feeder. Other ideas? I'm using the little mason jar red plastic thing they sell at the feed store. Likewise I end up dumping a lot of starter out because it gets all mixed with pine shavings and crap. Normal?

5) We've had two rounds of nasty colds since getting the chicks. Cooincidence? Are they known to carry these types of germs that can spread to humans via physical contact/handling/etc.? We do take care to wash out hands after being around them but I haven't been fanatical about it.

Thanks!!!!

 

[bock]

WOW!

First of all, if you handle the chicks carefully and infrequently it is ok for the teens

Secondly, you should only feed scraps as an OCCASIONAL treat. Layer feed should be the adult's main feed.
Finally, chickens are not toys, so I would keep trucks out of the pen.

 

[midwife mama]

Thanks for your thoughts but I disagree that commercial layer feed always needs to be the hen's main feed. The free-ranging chicks I am familiar with who are feed whole foods seem to do pretty well with supplemental feed. Aren't many people raising healthy happy chickens this way? And our chickens are not toys or course, I simply meant to say that my son wanted to offer them some entertainment in the form of something to climb on.

 

[triggfamily5]

I don't know how much help I'll be, but here I go

Edited for proper age...

Quote:
I have only had 2 sets of chicks (including my current set) and someone always is handling our chicks. Sometimes we just sit around with them and let them hang out with us. We'll pick them up and cuddle and talk to them. Take oatmeal and put it down for some "scratch" and then hand feed them also. I start when their about a week old or so. When they "grow-up" to the outside pen (about 5-6 weeks) we sit out there and do the same thing.

Quote:
My adult flocks are free-range, and they get scraps all the time; however, I have feed available to them 24/7. They eat what they want outside and from the scraps and then they eat the feed if that isn't enough. I know there are people on here that make their own feed, that might be an option for you. Whatever you do, don't forget to give them something as grit...


Quote:
Another poster mentioned toys and mirrors. Also, toss some oatmeal down like scratch for them. That gives them something to do.

Quote:
My quart waterers are on 2x4's in my coop to help prevent the wood shaving issue. When I start having shavings (a lot) in those, I will upgrade to a 3 gallon waterer on 2x4's. They have a higher rim.

As for the colds, I would guess coincidence, but I can't be sure. We had quite a few bad colds at our house this spring already before the chicks arrived.

 

[smallcitychick]

edited to add: I'm assuming that you have 13 chicks that are one and half weeks old and not chicks that are 13 weeks old....so keep that in mind when reading my answers

1) I'm mostly new at this too, but i was under the same impression as you: that you need to handle your chicks at least some to help them be tame (and as a mom with young kids, I'm in the same boat as you and don't want them to freak out every time the kids are in the back yard). I hold each of the chicks once a day (or have my older two kids (4 and 6 years old) help me hold them) so they get handeling at least once a day. I do however make a point to go out and there and just sit, watch, and talk with them. I want them to know my voice and to know that I give food and protect them. I've started having my kids come and just sit and watch with me too (the kids don't like that part as much, but I noticed that whenever we came out to look at them they would just scatter and run around crazy. Since we've just come in to sit and chat they are much more tolerant of comings and goings. Maybe part of it is they're getting older too? I don't know but it seems to be working)

2) Make sure if you're offering kitchen scraps that you are offering chick grit (or if you have them outside already, they need to be on the ground so they forage their own small rocks to fill their crop). Other than that I don't know. I thought it was completely possible to raise chickens free range and on scraps only supplementing feed when needed. But I'm new, so don't take my word for it.

3) I've heard of people putting things in the brooder for them to play with. Like one of those cat balls/toys that has a bell in it, that might work. You could maybe try a small mirror so they can look at themselves, or a stuffed animal for them to snuggle with. I just put a shoe box lid with DE in it in my brooder for them to peck, smell, and maybe learn to have a dust bath in. If you're feeding medicated chick starter, you could maybe bring a few things from outside for them to play with (like a leaf, or a small pile of grass to scratch through). I *think* (again, I'm new, so don't qhold me to it) if you're not doing medicated feed you might want to wait until they're older to introduce things from the outside, to wait until their immune systems are a little more developed.

4) You can put the feed and waterer up on something (I have mine on top of a concrete piece from our yard border) so that they can't kick shavings into the water and feed.

5) I have no idea of those kind of illnesses can be spread or carried by chickens. I would think not, but that's just me. I'm pretty fanatical about hand washing after my kids have handled the chicks though. So....*shrug*

Hope that helps some

 

[midwife mama]

thanks! and yes I edited my post to clarify that my 13 chicks are almost 2 weeks old! I will try perching the water jug on something elevated.

 

[the Precious Ladies]

Hi

I am also new to having chicks, but with the cold and sickness- I personally think it is a coincedence. We keep our 2 and a half week old chicks in our "bunny room". my two rabbits, Cookie dough and Olivia live in their condo in that room- and their is also my old bed next to the wall. I have been sleeoing down there the past 16 days since it has been a bit chilly and my actual room does not have a heater system yet. (the heat lamp really warms up a room

) I havent felt any sickness, and I'm around them all the time- though i do understand your concern

 

[the Precious Ladies]

Hi

I am also new to having chicks, but with the cold and sickness- I personally think it is a coincedence. We keep our 2 and a half week old chicks in our "bunny room". my two rabbits, Cookie dough and Olivia live in their condo in that room- and their is also my old bed next to the wall. I have been sleeoing down there the past 16 days since it has been a bit chilly and my actual room does not have a heater system yet. (the heat lamp really warms up a room

) I havent felt any sickness, and I'm around them all the time- though i do understand your concern