Help a newb, please :)

[hanselong]

I thought of raising chickens less than a month ago and has been reading up numerous posts on this forum and other sites.

Three days ago I brought home 3 "day old" chicks (silkie, dorking, and easter egger) to raise from the local feed store.

So far I have them in a brooder where the warmest (under the heat lamp) is 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

Questions:
1. They seem to prefer staying away from the heat lamp and staying cool; is this normal?
2. I'm paranoid about plugged butts, so I've been checking on them:
a. On the first day they were ok.
b. Yesterday, my dorking had some feces dried up and stuck near the opening (not blocking).
i. I tried to remove it using a baby wipe, but it was still stuck.
ii. I then dipped the dorking's butt in warm water and loosened most of the feces using my fingers; I didn't dry her butt before putting her back in the brooder.
c. This morning I checked and:
i. My dorking had moist feces (not blocking) that I was able to remove by hand; however her butt appears to be stained with some color.
ii. My silkie had moist feces (not blocking) that I was able to remove by hand; however she also had a long (1/4") coarse black-ish dried up feces (I think) stuck that I didn't have time to work out.
3. My wife seem to think that if I handle them too often they'll die.
4. When should I start giving them grit and how much?
5. Finally, the chicks all seem afraid to have me come and inspect their butts; the dorking fell out of my hand into the brooder once, so I'm holding them more firmly (but not roughly).

Any advice?

Am I just too paranoid?

I just really would like to do everything I can to make sure they're all going to make it into hens.

Thank you very much in advance!

 

[chicmom]

You're just being very observant and careful! You seem like you've researched alot and that's a good thing! You could maybe raise your light a bit if they are avoiding it. Just raise it about 3 inches.

Then as far as the pasty butt goes, I know what you mean. It's hard to hold the chicks and clean off their rears. Not to worry, after the first week, they won't have pasty butt anymore. Just do your best. Maybe hold the chick over something so if it wiggles away, it won't fall.

Now, I've had quite alot of chicks now, and I make sure I handle them all several times a day (for short periods). That makes them really tame, and a tame chicken is much more like a pet than livestock. One thing you can do is feed them some of their chick food right out of your hand.....just put your hand out in the chick brooder, and hold out the feed to them, being very still. They will run up and jump on your hand and eat the feed.....that's a fun way to make them become tamer.

You're doing a great job!

Sharon

 

[chicmom]

Oh, and if you're just feeding the chick starter, you don't really need the grit yet. I always gave mine chick grit anyhow. Just a sprinkling of it in their food. Once you introduce different foods or treats, then they will definitely need the grit to aid digestion.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Being handled by humans doesn't kill chickens (unless it's rough of course).

It sounds like the pastiness isn't blocking their vents, so to try to keep it from sticking to their fuzzy butts, you can use a dab of vaseline or olive oil or something right around their vents. That has worked for me.

The chicks are naturally afraid of that giant hand coming down from nowhere and snatching them up. But like chicmom said, food is the way to the heart of a chicken. Once they associate that hand with food, you won't be able to get them to leave you alone.

You're doing a great job. Stop worrying so much.

 

[TC_BokBok]

Being extremely well researched and observant I'm like you hanselong, taking a great interest in their well being. Out of my 6 I have one EE and one Australorp with dried poop on their butt fur but not blocking their vent at all. I did try working some of it off last night with damp towels and will work on it some more tonite but since it isn't blocking their vent - OR - getting bigger from collecting more poop I am not too concerned.

I've noticed my girls still like to huddle up when they sleep despite the correct brooder temps. They also take note from one another in that if one starts to sleep then more will soon follow.

As for helping tame them I STRONGLY advise to hold them daily and love them taking care to not keep them out of their nice warm brooder for too long. Temperature shock. I don't keep them out of their brooder longer than 15 minutes and I keep them all together, not separating them unless I'm holding them. They really don't like to be all alone and who would. Feed them your starter food from your hand and then when it comes time for treats feed those from your hand as well, depending on the nature of the treat that is.

I've got a great video from feeding my girls some egg treats and they were taking turns being "Queen of the Mountain" on my hand. I had 2 or 3 up on there at at time. It was WAY cute!

 

[hanselong]

Thank you very much everyone for the responses! Glad to know I'm doing ok with my first chicks

@TC_BokBok: Would you mind sharing the video? I'd love to see it

 

[Jasmine1998]

Mine are 5 days old now & they also seem to prefer the cooler parts of their tank. They seem to like the 85-90 temp range much better.