Getting ready for my new baby chicks!

[meggy77]

Hello everyone, My baby chicks should be arriving from Meyer Hatchery next week. I have the basic supplies: container, feeders, light, Is there anything I’m missing? Am I supposed to vaccinate them? I’m not familiar with all that. The last chickens I bought were from Trackor supply.. so I’m new to purchasing chickens online. I just don’t want to miss anything. Any advice is appreciated! Thank you!

 

[snow5164]

Post a picture or two of your setup and you’ll get more help then you know what to do with

How exciting for you

 

[50-45-1]

I always have some quick chick mixed up and when i take the ciHicks out of the shipping box and move them into the brooder one By one and i dip there beek in the quick chick and make sure they get a drink.
Have your set up ready and make sure of the temperature with thermometer before they arrive.
After 2 weeks these guys will need more room,be getting kind of stinky or be ready to go to an outside situation. What are your plans for that?
Congratulations on your chicks!

 

[IamRainey]

Won't Meyer vaccinate them for you? I pay for that with my orders from My Pet Chicken. Call Meyer quickly and see if there's time to make that arrangement.

It's anxiety-producing to have them coming by mail but the hatcheries know what they're doing and will pack them well for their journey. They'll also give you a heads up that they were shipped with a tracking number so you can see when to expect them.

I go to my post office the day before and tell them that my chicks are due. I make sure they have my cell # -- it will also be on the package. Sometimes I get an animal lover who takes it to heart and makes it her business to make sure I get the call immediately. Sometimes I get someone (even here in Los Angeles) who tells me they handle chicks everyday and know what they're doing (and please leave them alone to do their job). But, either way, I've never had a tragedy.

You can also tell them you'd like your regular carrier to deliver them to your house.

I keep my calendar clear on the day I'm expecting them and make sure I have my cell phone on my person. I have some water and Nutridrench with me when I go to pick them up. Because my orders are very small they will only ship to me in a narrow time frame when the chicks won't be too hot or too cold enroute. That means I get them mid-Summer here in LA and we can be having triple-digit temps so I need to be prepared to give them immediate hydration. But the truth is I've only ever gotten healthy chicks who have not been dehydrated.

The box will be cheeping like crazy and everyone who's in the post office with you will find their hearts melting!

At home I just open the box inside their first quarters and let them exit when they're ready.

Having baby chicks is so exciting! Enjoy them!

 

[meggy77]

Post a picture or two of your setup and you’ll get more help then you know what to do with

How exciting for you

Ok, thank you! I’m out of town but I will when I get back.

 

[meggy77]

I always have some quick chick mixed up and when i take the ciHicks out of the shipping box and move them into the brooder one By one and i dip there beek in the quick chick and make sure they get a drink.
Have your set up ready and make sure of the temperature with thermometer before they arrive.
After 2 weeks these guys will need more room,be getting kind of stinky or be ready to go to an outside situation. What are your plans for that?
Congratulations on your chicks!

Thank you! I have a coop ready for them. Unfortualy, I lost my girls last month to a predictor. The mistake we made was not putting underwire under the run, we had big stones around it, but we had a plumber come to run water to the run and he removed one of the stones.. we didn’t know until it was to late. Advice on that is appreciated too. I’ll add pics of my coop

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you want them vaccinated for anything you need to contact the hatchery and have them do it as it needs to be done soon after they're hatched.

 

[Melky]

Hello everyone, My baby chicks should be arriving from Meyer Hatchery next week. I have the basic supplies: container, feeders, light, Is there anything I’m missing? Am I supposed to vaccinate them? I’m not familiar with all that. The last chickens I bought were from Trackor supply.. so I’m new to purchasing chickens online. I just don’t want to miss anything. Any advice is appreciated! Thank you!

I got mine from Meyer. They did a great job. Request Mareks vaccine. It is worth the cost to prevent. Make sure brooder is set up 24 hours prior for accurate temp. 90-95 degrees first week. Have food and water ready. Keep food and water not under direct heat source but not too far away. Keep heat source on one side of box so can warm themselves and then cool themselves as needed. Put a 1 inch wide perch in the brooder 5 inches high they will love that and it will teach them to roost. Make sure room for all. Keep food and water available 24/7. I used sav a chick electrolytes daily for first 5 days then once a week till grown. Otherwise fresh water. Can also use sav a chick electrolytes when Ill or stressed. Make sure they do not have pasty butt first few days in first week and poop clearing vents. If sticking to bottom wash with warm water and paper towel till clean and place Vaseline on bottom around vent till poop clears vent on own. Put marbles in water or clean stones to prevent drowning or falling in and getting too wet. Start on 20% medicated starter feed or starter grower feed for best weight gain. Can wean brooder temp by 5 degrees weekly till at 65-70 degrees then ready to go out. This should be by 4-5 weeks when feathered out. Will be too cold if prior to feathering out. The new feathers will provide the warmth they need. Don’t need chick grit till 3-4 weeks of age. No treats till then as well. At 3-4 weeks can offer greens like cabbage and dried mealworms as treats if like. Keep treats 10% or less of diet so has enough protein to grow. At 8 weeks can switch to poultry grit and 18 % starter grower or a grower feed non-medicated. At 17- 18 weeks can switch to 16% layer feed. Start oyster shell at 15 weeks. That’s pretty much it. Once in coop roosting bars should not be above 30 inches and should be at least two inches wide. Enjoy your new chicks!

 

[Melky]

Thank you! I have a coop ready for them. Unfortualy, I lost my girls last month to a predictor. The mistake we made was not putting underwire under the run, we had big stones around it, but we had a plumber come to run water to the run and he removed one of the stones.. we didn’t know until it was to late. Advice on that is appreciated too. I’ll add pics of my coop

I would put a 24 inch apron hardware cloth from base that is 19 g 1/2 inch. This is the recommendation then put stones or mulch over top. Can also use use pavers below coop/run on perimeter with HWC.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I would put a 24 inch apron hardware cloth from base that is 19 g 1/2 inch. This is the recommendation then put stones or mulch over top. Can also use use pavers below coop/run on perimeter with HWC.

I'd recommend against putting large stones or pavers over an apron, as it can cause the predators to back up to dig at the edge of the pavers instead, and tunnel in from there. Mulch or loose small stones should be fine for cover, if there isn't grass or other plants that would naturally grow through to cover it up.