Help hatching chicks

[peafowl_Lover]

It's 17 degrees Celsius

 

[TwoCrows]

Thanks would I be able to bring some outside for a bit?

Definitely get them outside for field trips, as long as it's sunny and as warm as you have today, a 10 or 15 min jaunt outside does them good! Chicks need things to do as they get bored innthe brooder. And it is also good to exercise their minds too, when they eventually go out to the coop they won't be so scared having been new places.

Just make SURE they are kept contained outside, chicks can disappear easily or eaten by dogs or other things, watch them continuously.

 

[NatJ]

What treats can I give to the chicks?

You can take a little bit of the normal chick starter and add water. Most chicks think that is a great treat, and of course it is nutritionally the same whether it is wet or dry.

The first time they see it, they will probably be scared, because that is just how chicks react to new things. But after they get over being scared, and try it a time or two, they will generally come rushing to eat it every time you give them some.

 

[peafowl_Lover]

Thank you both I will try both ideas

 

[peafowl_Lover]

What can I use or make to entertain the chicks?

 

[peafowl_Lover]

 

[peafowl_Lover]

And also I finally caught my light sussex cross rhode island red staying still for a second I think she is a she but her feathers are growing white and black what do ye think?

 

[NatJ]

And also I finally caught my light sussex cross rhode island red staying still for a second I think she is a she but her feathers are growing white and black what do ye think?

Which parent was which breed? One way makes sexlinks (sexable by color) and the other way does not.

What can I use or make to entertain the chicks?

I can't tell for sure how big your brooder is.

But in general, the single best thing you can give chicks is more space. A common guideline is to provide 1 square foot of space per chick for the first month, 2 square feet of space per chick for the second month, and 4 square feet per bird after that. More space is even nicer. Week-old chicks will happily run 6 feet or more from their heat source, then come back without trouble. As they get older, they like to explore even further.

More space also makes it easier to provide other kinds of entertainment, because there are more places to put stuff.

After making sure the space is as big as possible, I would consider bedding they can scratch around in. I see you have been using paper towels, which are good for the first few days while they learn what food is. My suggestion for other bedding is meant to be used after those first days. If you have them in the house, this does pose a problem: they love to scratch around, but that makes a lot of dust!

They also enjoy things like dirt and grass. A clump of sod is often a good way to provide them quite a bit of fun (and it also provides grass to eat, and grit to help them digest the grass.)

Chicks like to sit on things and practice flying from one thing to another. Your chicks already have a brooder plate they can sit on, and they will probably sit on the feeder and waterer as well. If you can give them more space, you can also add more things for them to sit on. Options include bricks or stones or piece of wood, cardboard boxes, and anything else that they cannot pull apart and you don't mind being covered with chick poop.

 

[TwoCrows]

What can I use or make to entertain the chicks?

I like to add roosts, branches, a 2x4 with the 2 side up. Gives them places to climb and get away from the others. I also like to cut down a cereal box and add things to scratch around in...alfalfa leaves, chick starter and a sprinkling of parakeet grit, burns off excess energy.Tiny parrot mirrors are fun too.

 

[peafowl_Lover]

I put wood shavings in and now the chicks are eating little bits of it is that OK?