hatching due soon.. time to prepare.

[Blondie654]

Ok so i have so many questions.. i want to be a good mum!

I am hatching eggs in the incubator. All looks well for 7/11. They are all Buff Columbian Pekins and we are really excited.
My friend hatched some eggs last year and is letting me use her brooder so all is ok with that however i am unclear on what to put in the brooder for sanitation purposes. Some people say shavings other are a big no for shavings and others say newspaper others say a mixture!!! i'm so confused, also others mentioned BioDri Disinfectant Sanitiser Powder. Do i need this? I dont mind the cost but these chicks will be raised in the house with the children so the cleaner the better!
I am planning on getting a chick feeder and drinker, medicated chick feed and a spare bulb.. am i missing anything? Any other suggestions to try and make everything go well?

I'm in the UK and it will be too cold for quite a while to let them outside, was thinking of growing some grass with the children as a side project to let the chicks feed on.. maybe throw a little grit on the grass. I'm growing chickweed at the moment as a treat for my hens.. can the chicks have some when they are a few weeks old?

Thank you

 

[Alaskan]

As long as the chicks have grit, they may also have grass, chickweed, or whatever other things you have for them.

Remember that right after hatch they take at least a day, if not three, to really pep up and start to be interested in food and water.

As to bedding and a brooder..... I always put my chicks in the bathtub, a layer of butcher paper first (the slightly slick side keeps it from sticking to the bathtub, even when it gets nasty). And then I put a layer of paper towels on top since the paper towels are perfect for their feet, easy to walk on. Newspaper is too slick and can cause problems. You could put down newspaper and then a layer of paper towels.

I sprinkle the chick feed over the paper towel, and don't change to a feed trough until they are about ten days old.

Good luck!