I just got eight little one week old babies (i could not resist)

[chicamama03]

So, a friend came home from vacation to new babies popping out of eggs last week. I took 8 yesterday. I'll post photos soon, but in a nutshell they are little
Banties. Assorted colors. Hopefully I don't have 8 roosters!

So for now they have a heat lamp and live in a cozy dog crate in my bathroom. I have never started with chicks this tiny. Can I get some tips? They are on newspaper becuase I heard shavings can get stuck to them.

When will I know what sex they are?

;-)
Sylvia

 

[gritsar]

Congrats!
I would definitely take them off the newspaper. Newspaper has been said to cause spraddle leg in chicks, it's too slick. Pine shavings work great.

You need to keep them at the temp. appropriate for their age - 90 to 95 the first week, lowering the temp. by 5 degrees a week, until such time you are down to 70* (end of week 5) at which point they should not normally need supplemental heat. The easiest way to judge the appropriate temp. for your chicks is by watching their behavior. Chicks that are too cold will normally peep loudly and pile up under the heat source. Too warm and they will as far away from their heat source as possible, sometimes holding their little wings out and panting. You want to see them active, sometimes under the heat, sometimes not.

 

[Nicole01]

Congrats! I just picked up 3 pullets myself. Our very first hens and I love them!

 

[britlitgal]

Paper towels also work well--I put down a couple of layers in the brooder for the first few days, then add pine shavings on top after a week. No leg issues

 

[suzeqf]

I've got 3 week old banties and 2 5 week olds and 2 4 week olds and i started them all out on shavings and all the older ones are in the same brooder as my big girls and the little ones are in with my 1 week old GP and my daughters turken. I haven't had any problems with shavings sticking to them and they seem to like it a bit warmer than everyone else does i did put a little piece of a blanket in their brooder just so they could have a place to hang out

 

[Marylizbet]

Newspaper is my favourite. My sis and I tear it up while watching movies. It's free, but not everyone likes it. I haven't had any problems with legs. ~ Mary