HELP! Ideal chicks came a week early! I'm not prepared!

[shelleyb1969]

I ordered chicks from Ideal and was told they would ship on 8/20. Well guess what, they arrived today! I am not set up with my brooder yet! I got them temporarily set up for tonight, but I'm concerned with their bedding. What should I use? I've got newspaper in there now, because that's all I've got. But I read that newspaper could cause them to become sprattle-legged. Is the newspaper ok for a day or two? These are black, silver laced, and golden laced bantam cochin babies...and they are sooooo cute.

I will post pics as soon as I get over the shock of "premature" chickies! I'm not upset that they arrived early, but I'm very upset that I wasn't notified that they would be coming. I was 40 miles from home when I got the call from the post office!

 

[Lanissa86]

I would use paper Towels instead of the newspaper. Your chickes sound adorable, can't wait to see pics!

 

[bluie]

Do you have any paper towels? They don't get slick like newspaper and you can use them for a couple of weeks.

 

[shelleyb1969]

Thanks for such quick help! I'm changing the newspaper out to paper towels now!

 

[fullhouse]

Is that what your email said? I am on next week's shipping too. Maybe I'll call the PO.

 

[shelleyb1969]

Quote:
Yes, that's what my email confirmation said. And today I had the post office and Ideal Hatchery in a frenzy because they couldn't reach me to go pick up my chicks!

Maybe if I had known, I would've been home.

Needless to say, I did voice my opinion to Ideal regarding their shipping procedure. What if I had been gone out of state on vacation or something? I hate to think of what would've happened to these precious little guys!