I have babys , now what?

[DossFunnyFarm]

so far 3 chicks out of there egss, 4 more poking out and 3 that peep! Sooo Cool!
now what do i do? do they need feed right away or wait till they dry?
keep them in the bator till all have hatched or put them in another box with light/heat?
Thanks

 

[birdlover]

Ahem...don't mean to sound mean but why didn't you think to find all of this out before incubating the eggs? Nevermind, we all make mistakes. Anyway, they don't need food until you put them in the brooder. Don't take them out of the incubator until they're dry and if the other eggs are still hatching, wait because you don't want to let the humidity out. Do you have a brooder ready for them with a steady temp. of 95 degrees? Don't use newspaper in the bottom of the box. It's too slippery. Best to put pine shavings and cover them with paper towels the first few days so the chicks don't eat the shavings and die. Go to the Learning Pages on the Home Page and read about taking care of newly hatched chicks. These babies are depending on you.

 

[needmorechickens!]

Keep them in the bator until they have all hatched and are dry.

Put them in an open rubbermaid box with a couple of layers of paper towels on the bottom.

Put a heat lamp over them to make a spot that is about 90 degrees - make sure they can get away from the light if they want to get cooler.

Put a chick waterer in the box with them. If you don't have one, then a very shallow dish with some marbles or something similar in the water (this is to keep them from drowning)

Every once in a while just sprinkle some chick crumbles on the paper towel and they will usually begin to peck at it. Once one gets it, they all usually follow the leader.

Once they are eating well then put a chick feeder or small dish of crumbles in there.

~Rebecca

 

[ozark hen]

Congrats on the new chicks. Please follow the advice of birdlover, don't be upset we all aren't perfect and we all make mistakes. You are here to learn right? Good luck and post some pics when they are dry.

 

[DossFunnyFarm]

Nope your not being mean at all bridlover, am just really tried and not thinking right, yes we havea brooder set and ready and I did look up the info but got diffeant answers, so once my computer got back online I thought I better asked my fave. site of people to get the best care and as always you all came though. Thanks sooo much, melanie

 

[Chicken Woman]

Keep them in the bator until all have hatched and are fluffy dry. They have just absorbed the yolk so don't need any nourishment for up to 48 hours.
When you put them in your bator make sure you have it heated up beforehand to 95 degrees. You will lower that 5 degrees a week by moving your lamp further away.

Put pine shavings in the bator and cover them well with paper towels for the first 3 days or your shicks won't be able to tell the differenc between them and food.

You should have water with electrlytes powdwer. As soon as you put them in the bator dunk the tip of each ones beak into the water to get them drinking. I usually do that about once an hour until they are drinking on there own.
Once they are drinking on there own then show them a dish with chick crumbles. I use medicated crumbles to make sure my chicks don't get sick as they will eat poo and get ill without the antibiotics in the crumbles.

Your brooder needs to be big enough to put light at one end and leave the other end so if they get to hot they can move away from the light. If you see them bunching up together they are to cold. If they are all at the oppisite end of brooder than light then they are to warm. They should be spread out comfortably in the brooder and moving about.

After all that you should go to the choices ubove in the grey background and click on "Learning Center'. You will find lots of information about caring for your chicks.

Good luck

 

[DossFunnyFarm]

#4 chick is out, an they just keep coming :0) Thanks everyone and i will send pictures of my new fuffys latr. Hugs to you all