I am a Chicken Mom!!!!!!!

[desertgirl]

Well, I did it. Drove out and picked up my chicks (1 buff orp, and 2 silkies-one blue and one porcelain). I am officially in love, but scared....

They are in a small cage box that a fried of mine used when he first gets his day old chicks. It is a cube about 2 foot X 2 foot. I put newspaper on the bottom, they have two feed bowls with chick starter feed, and a water dipenser. I put a 250 watt infrared light on the top, and they moved under it and are all cuddled up together under the light ,apparantly sleeping. It is on the floor in my bathroom.

And I really want to care for them properly....

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

 

[Umbral_Necropolitan]

I've heard bad things about newpaper lining as it can be slick on the little guys, giving them problems walkin' around. Wood shavings, without oils since they could eat them, like pine or aspen work better from what I have read and my lil guy like to scratch it around.

Good luck with your lil guys.

 

[mmtillman]

I heard you should not use newpaper...but to use paper towels instead...I was told the newsprint is too slick for them to walk on and the paper towels give them more traction?? Just a tip I remember hearing ...thought I would pass it along.

I put shavings under the paper towels for a softer surface...will switch to just shavings when I find out when to do it .....?? ...I too am a new chicken mamma! Got mine a week ago and they are already trying to fly!!

Good luck with your chickys!!!

 

[SeramaLife]

250 watts for a 2x2 cage is ALOT. Make sure they don't get too hot.

 

[Slywoody]

You may want to consider a thermometer in that box and be prepared to adjust that light up or you may have fried chicks. Temp for the first week should be 90-95,, After the first week mine were too hot and i had to move the light up about a foot..

 

[desertgirl]

OK-will put inpapertowls instead. It doesn't feel very warm in the box-it is an infrared reflector light...

 

[Umbral_Necropolitan]

Quote:
Heh, yea I had one of those set up for my guy. Had to change to a weaker bulb when I notice he was panting during the hottest part of the day, 60 watts in a reflector works fine for my brooder which is about 1.5x1.5ft.

 

[Slywoody]

I have mine on newspaper and they are doing just fine,, Just started giving them bread crumb treats,, Man! do they have a blast with that,, 10 little buff orpingtons playing "keep away",,, What a riot!!!!!

 

[Slywoody]

Quote:
I have the same light and the same size box,, Believe me, it can get too hot. I had it 3 ft. off the floor of the box and it was too hot!!!!

 

[Slywoody]

I'm just trying to help you out girl,, You can tell if it's too hot if they hang as far from the light as they can get and their little wings start hanging down. At that point, raise the light,,,