HELP! Unexpected chicks given as a gift just before a vacation!

[Stecha15]

Just got some day old chicks for an early birthday gift just before our memorial day vacation. I do not have much of a brooder setup for chicks just use a large rubbermaid container with a small heat lamp. What do I do for the 4 days? I have no one to watch them - must I cancel the trip?

They are 3 days old tomorrow the day i am supposed to leave. Im not sure I feel comfortable letting a heat lamp on while im gone without supervision. The weather is looking like highs in the upper 80's and lows into the 60's. There are 8 - 4 leghorns and 4 RIR's. They are currently in a spare bedroom.

I do have an outdoor coop with 8 ameraucana's and 4 silkies. The ameraucanas are about 7 weeks old, silkies maybe 3-4. These guys will be fine in the coop with plenty of water and food. Lots of space too its a 8x6 and about 7' tall with two 3'x2' windows in the front and a 6 foot x 8" vent in the back. the ameracaunas actually took in the silkies and keep them warm, but I dont think i can do that with the young ins yet, not for at least 2 weeks. Any advice???

 

[Greg88]

perhaps let the people who gave them to you babysit?

 

[danielkbrantley]

Too bad none of your hens are broody. You could do what I did a couple nights ago for the first time - slip day-old chicks under the broody and let her raise them.

I honestly don't know what to do. They've got to stay warm, but you can't afford for your house to burn down. I would call another friend or two and try to get their help. You can transport the chicks and the brooder to someone else's house.

 

[1muttsfan]

Your chicks are too young to be left unattended for that long, there are too many things that can go badly wrong. The older birds are unlikely to take them in, and may in fact injure them.

 

[TroyerGal]

I wouldn't leave them all alone for that long... don't you have some neighborhood kids/teens who could watch them and earn a few bucks?

 

[harley587]

Do you have a local farm vet who could assist you in finding care while you're away? or possibly someone at your local feed store can check in on them several times a day?

 

[Stecha15]

I think after all of this reading, the best i can do is to take them with me. Once I get where im going i can setup my brooder again.

 

[Blooie]

Just got some day old chicks for an early birthday gift just before our memorial day vacation. I do not have much of a brooder setup for chicks just use a large rubbermaid container with a small heat lamp. What do I do for the 4 days? I have no one to watch them - must I cancel the trip?

They are 3 days old tomorrow the day i am supposed to leave. Im not sure I feel comfortable letting a heat lamp on while im gone without supervision. The weather is looking like highs in the upper 80's and lows into the 60's. There are 8 - 4 leghorns and 4 RIR's. They are currently in a spare bedroom.

I do have an outdoor coop with 8 ameraucana's and 4 silkies. The ameraucanas are about 7 weeks old, silkies maybe 3-4. These guys will be fine in the coop with plenty of water and food. Lots of space too its a 8x6 and about 7' tall with two 3'x2' windows in the front and a 6 foot x 8" vent in the back. the ameracaunas actually took in the silkies and keep them warm, but I dont think i can do that with the young ins yet, not for at least 2 weeks. Any advice???

Do you have a heating pad that doesn't turn itself off after two hours? If not, you can pick one up at Walmart or Walgreens. Recommended would be the Sunbeam Insta-heat. Take a look at this thread.....because of using a heating pad and a nipple waterer, I can leave my chicks unattended. In fact, I brood them outside in a pen in the run so obviously I'm not out there 24/7 either. Tuck them under Mama Heating Pad, put in a nipple waterer so that you don't have to worry about dirty or spilled water, chicks drowning, or them running out of water and a feeder generously filled, and you can do it. It's not ideal, but it is effective.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

 

[1muttsfan]

I would totally take chicks with me on a vacation if I had to , just give them a well-wrapped hot water bottle while traveling

 

[Rooless]

Do you have a heating pad that doesn't turn itself off after two hours? If not, you can pick one up at Walmart or Walgreens. Recommended would be the Sunbeam Insta-heat. Take a look at this thread.....because of using a heating pad and a nipple waterer, I can leave my chicks unattended. In fact, I brood them outside in a pen in the run so obviously I'm not out there 24/7 either. Tuck them under Mama Heating Pad, put in a nipple waterer so that you don't have to worry about dirty or spilled water, chicks drowning, or them running out of water and a feeder generously filled, and you can do it. It's not ideal, but it is effective.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

How do you keep out snakes? We put our chicks outside in the coop pen and we caught a snake eating one and he had two in his grip for when he was done with it. Thankfully we were able to save the two but not the one he had in his mouth. It would definitely have to be a very tight brooder.