How much should new chicks eat??? TIME SENSITIVE!

[littleredhen00]

We just got new chicks from tractor supply today, a few of them aren't eating and i'm having to hand feed and water them. I've done this with previous chicks who weren't doing well and they lived, they're only a couple days old, how much and how often should I feed/water them? Right now we're just putting the food in their mouths and having them drink honey water to wash it down. I'ts the first night with them and i don't want to sleep all night and them starve to death during the night, how often do they need food and water and how much of both?

 

[WillGriffin03]

We just got new chicks from tractor supply today, a few of them aren't eating and i'm having to hand feed and water them. I've done this with previous chicks who weren't doing well and they lived, they're only a couple days old, how much and how often should I feed/water them? Right now we're just putting the food in their mouths and having them drink honey water to wash it down. I'ts the first night with them and i don't want to sleep all night and them starve to death during the night, how often do they need food and water and how much of both?

For the first few days with my chicks they didn't eat much at all, what I did is I gently picked them up and held their heads and imitated pecking with them and made sure they ate everything, I then dipped their beak in the water 3 or four times and made sure they swallowed the water, I did this for 3 or 4 day every 4 hours and they're fine now.

 

[littleredhen00]

These chicks can't really walk and sleep much, so they won't eat by themselves. After feeding them they get a little better but i'll have to keep doing this until they get better. so right now the only food and water they're getting is what i'm hand feeding them, having to open their mouths and pt the food in and wash it down with some honey-water.

 

[junebuggena]

What method are you using to keep them warm? Pics of your setup?

 

[littleredhen00]

What method are you using to keep them warm? Pics of your setup?

We are using a cardboard box with paper in the bottom and pine shavings. Water with rocks In it so they don't drown. They have chick starter and also chick starter with honey water mixed into it to make a mash, and a thermometer. Right now it's reading 95 degrees and has been staying there. They have a brooder lamp with red heat bulbs.

 

[junebuggena]

You've got a chick oven going on in that brooder. They can't escape the heat. Chicks do need a heat source, but it is equally important that they have a cool zone too. They are all holding their wings out, away from their bodies. That means they are way too hot. Either move them into a box that allows for them to escape the heat, or switch out the heat lamp bulb for a lower wattage bulb.

 

[junebuggena]

Oh, and eating is the least of your worries right now. Heat will kill them before starvation or dehydration will.

 

[ChickNanny13]

You've got a chick oven going on in that brooder. They can't escape the heat. Chicks do need a heat source, but it is equally important that they have a cool zone too. They are all holding their wings out, away from their bodies. That means they are way too hot. Either move them into a box that allows for them to escape the heat, or switch out the heat lamp bulb for a lower wattage bulb.

Oh, and eating is the least of your worries right now. Heat will kill them before starvation or dehydration will.

Get a bigger box ASAP, as junebuggena states above they need to be able to move away from the heat if/when need too.

 

[littleredhen00]

You've got a chick oven going on in that brooder. They can't escape the heat. Chicks do need a heat source, but it is equally important that they have a cool zone too. They are all holding their wings out, away from their bodies. That means they are way too hot. Either move them into a box that allows for them to escape the heat, or switch out the heat lamp bulb for a lower wattage bulb. 

I raised the brooder lamp a bit and I used the cardboard top to kind of make a shady area, I've heard it should stay from 90-95 degrees in there the first week?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Raising the lamp will help a little but it really should be hung more towards one side, leaving the other side cooler, so the chicks can move as needed to moderate their temperature. The small size of that box isn't making that easy. And the "shade" isn't helping at all, this isn't like sunlight, and in fact by pulling a panel over it's probably trapping more heat, like putting a lid on a casserole.

Yes generally chicks should be 90-95 the first week but they need to be allowed room to move away from the heat if that's too hot for them.