Getting my chicks Sunday! with questions

[tara7815]

Sunday I'm picking up 10 Rhode Island Reds from our local fair. They should be 5 days old. And then on 9/16 I am having Bantams shipped from Ideal (I've never ordered chicks before I hope they are reputable - I stressed over it forever).

So... I have a couple of questions

*I have a very large rubbermade tub that I'm converting into a brooder. How many chicks can comfortably be housed in a brooder like that and for how long?

* Can I safely mix the 2 breeds together in that brooder when there will be about a 8 day age difference?

* Apparently they are sending the Bantams with some male's for warmth??? I've never heard of this and forgot to ask how old these male's would be and what breed? Do they just toss anything in there?

*When I pick them up from the post office - then what? Put them in the brooder? Do I need to watch them carefully? What is recomended feed and water? Every place I look tells me something different. And can we handle them a lot at this point in the game? I breed rabbits normally and I know the first few days we try to let mama and her babies be - but after that we handle like crazy.. I'm not sure how different it will be with the chicks.

thanks for all your help!

 

[canada-goose]

Mixing the chicks should be fine.

The cockerels should be the same age, any breed.

Put them in the brooder, you will be watching them VERY carefully. Feed starter feed, offer warm water, don't touch them more than you have to.

Easy!

 

[faykokoWV]

Quote:
* Can I safely mix the 2 breeds together in that brooder when there will be about a 8 day age difference?

I personally would be concerned about putting the new batams in with the 8 day old RIR, they may get pecked. Depending on what your "males for warmth" are, they should be Ok with the older chicks

* Apparently they are sending the Bantams with some male's for warmth??? I've never heard of this and forgot to ask how old these male's would be and what breed? Do they just toss anything in there?

the males for warmth are often referred to on this site as packing peanuts. They are usually RIR. They will be newly hatched. Ideal has been known to send other varieties of males though

*When I pick them up from the post office - then what? Put them in the brooder? Do I need to watch them carefully? What is recomended feed and water?

I had my brooder set up the night before. When I picked them up i let them out into the brooder. anyone that didn't eat or drink got a little beak dip into the food/water so they knew what and where it was. I checked on them about every 30 minutes the first day (probably a little over protective) Watched for poopy but, were they too hot-far away from the heat or too cold- huddled in a big pile

Every place I look tells me something different. And can we handle them a lot at this point in the game? I breed rabbits normally and I know the first few days we try to let mama and her babies be - but after that we handle like crazy.. I'm not sure how different it will be with the chicks.

I picked them each up a few times the first day. After that i made sure to pick each of them up for a little while every day

thanks for all your help!​

Not sure if my advice was right or wrong, its just the way I did it. I'm sure you'll do fine.

 

[tara7815]

Thanks guys!

When I emailed them they told me they would likely put no more than 5 "packing peanuts" in with my shipment.
they will all be males right? I really don't need any more roosters, I think my husband will go through the roof.

The RIR that we are getting are supposed to be all Hens. If that is the case I don't mind hanging on to one RIR rooster (if that is what we get for packing peanuts) but will they be of good stock? I feel silly like I'm asking stupid questions here .. so if I am please forgive me but there is only one way to learn right?

What do you guys do with your packing peanuts?

 

[wombat]

What do you guys do with your packing peanuts?

Raise them with the rest, name them Finger, Lickin', and Good!


You can handle your chicks at a young age, just be careful about dropping them! We don't let our children handle chicks when young, unless they're seated on the floor. It doesn't take much of a fall to hurt chicks at a young age.​

 

[faykokoWV]

Ideal has about the same type stock as any hatchery.. It will not be show quality. your peanuts will be male

I was lucky, when I ordered in June they didn't add any packing peanuts. Some people eat them

some people sell them. My plan, if I get any is to offer them for free to anyone that wants them and to not ask what they will do with them as they will likely be taken for dinner.