Help me prepare for new arriving chicks

[ayedrianna]

I ordered 3 white leghorns & these are my very first chickiiieees! i cant wait. they should arrive tomorrow. i bought a water feeder, chicken feeder, feed started, pine shavings and thats pretty much it. i already set it up in the brooder.

for the heat source could i just use any regular light above the brooder? im really confused. and any tips on how to take care of my chicks successfully? thanks!

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

The main thing about a regular light is that they don't get any "dark" time and it causes them to peck at each other. I always use the red heat lamps with the silver reflector thing.

What you need to watch for is pasty butt it sneaks up on ya. Not common really but if your chicks get it it will need to be cleaned off asap. Grit if you plan on feeding them treats. And be sure to put them on paper towel for the first two days so they get to learn what food is rather then eating pine shavings. I'm sure other will come up with other things I may have forgotten. Ionly have 100 chicks right now LOL so I may have forgotten something

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

OH and what sort of brooder do you have? Does it have solid walls ? They should not have any drafts at all.

 

[ayedrianna]

Its inside a regular caardboard box

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Here is a great thread for newbie chicken keepers

Lots to read though. And good luck with your new babies!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=409847#p409847

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

cardboard box will work

That's what I used a lot of times as well.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Here is another great thread

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=283953

 

[ayedrianna]

Thanks!! The baby chicks can drown even if its small?

these are pics, hope their not too bad. its average size. can the chicks still drown in that?

 

[faykokoWV]

I don't know if you can get another box the same size and join them together. That space is a little small. Typically its nice to have the heat at one end and food and water at the other. That allows the chicks to regulate their own temperature a little just by moving from the warm end to the middle or the cool end depending on how they feel

 

[ayedrianna]

Im only getting 3 chicks, do I need more room?