Just resued two chicks and need help

[shazzam2k8]

First I would like to thank you guys for reading this. I work at an airline cargo office and somehow when we were shipping the baby chicks two got out and missed their flight so I brought them home. This is the second day that I have had them and have some questions.

My first question is about heat. I placed a regular lamp with a regular 60 watt bulb over their living area (which is a cardboard xerox paper box right now with newspaper, covered with paper towels and a regular towel where they sleep). I put a temperature gauge where they sleep and it is 95 degrees. If I switch to a red 60 watt bulb will it still give the same heat?

My second question is about proper bedding. I've spent a good two hours trying to figure out what bedding material is best but it seems like I could not find a definite answer. I bought a small bag of soft wood from Petco (no cedar) and tried putting it in but they immediately started eating it so I took it out. I read about putting paper towels over the bedding for a few days but was wondering what the safest bedding material is?

 

[Harrietsmum]

Good luck. Someone with chick rearing knowledge will answer your questions.

 

[Pupsnpullets]

Welcome to BYC! I'm so pleased you rescued those two little cuties. I can't help you much with raising tiny babies but I can tell you that in a pinch you can feed them mashed hard boiled egg. Make sure they have water but be very careful to have a very shallow dish. Those little guys can down way too easily. Bedding shouldn't be a big issue for just two chicks. Newspaper will do, just change it as it becomes soiled. Maybe you can rig up a towel in the corner, sort of tented, to simulate their moms wings that they can snuggle in to. As for the heat lamp keep it high enough that it won't scorch them (or catch fire). Are you keeping them inside, and do you keep the heat on in the house overnight? We kept many a chicken as kids just in a box in front of the wood stove overnight without a heat lamp, or sometimes (Mom did not approve, lol) in the hot water closet, if you have one. You can even rig up a hot water bottled, covered of course, that they can cosy up to, but that may require refilling in the night.

Good luck. Keep us posted and I'm sure by morning you'll be able to get a heap more advise. We'd love to see pictures of them, too, if you have time.

 

[birdlover]

Hi Shazzam and bless your heart for helping those two little helpless creatures. Paper towels over wood shavings for a few days should work fine. In the meantime, they will learn what food is and then you can take away the paper towels. What are you feeding them? Do they have access to water? Not sure about the 60 watt red bulb but it seems to me it should be the same as what you are using now. The temp in their box is right on. Sounds like you've had some experience with chicks. Am I right? Are you going to keep these two little ones? Welcome to BYC!

ETA: I would not recommend newspaper as it is too slippery and can cause spraddle leg (where the legs slip out to the sides)

 

[clkingtx]

shazzam2k8- I bet the chicks are glad you took them home! The most common thing I have heard for bedding, is on paper towels for the first 3 days to a week, so they can learn how and what to eat. When they have that down, you can put them on pine shavings. They will still eat some, but I guess not enough to hurt them(I haven't lost any to eating bedding yet). I am not sure about the light bulb, maybe someone else will know. Just make sure they don't get too hot or cold; you can do a search for how they act if they get too hot/cold. Hope they do good for you!
Carrie

 

[Armageddon]

You were so wonderful for rescuing those chicks!! I'm a newbie but the folks here will answer all your questions!!!

 

[kyeschicks]

I'm not quite sure if newspaper will cause spraddle leg

 

[Kelly G]

Here's what I've learned here about new chicks:

Temperature:
For the first week of life they should be kept at 95F. You lower the temp by 5 degrees each week until the chicks are fully feathered - at which point they generally don't need much assistance to keep warm. I make sure they can get away from the heat source if they get too hot.

I use a red heat lamp...I'll check the wattage on my bulbs when I go out there today. I can't remember what I have!


Feeding
There are lots of things you can safely feed chicks. But the basic diet should be a manufactured "chick starter" that you feed for about the first 8-10 weeks...And you will have to choose between a medicate or non-medicated variety. The medicated feed has antibiotics in it that help prevent illness due to coccidae (not sure of the spelling). If you choose the non-medicated feed you must keep their living area, food, and water immaculately clean as the chicks have not built up a resistance yet.

After the first 8-10 weeks I switch from Chick Starter to Chick Grower.

At 18 weeks, I switch to Layer Pellets, and offer additional calcium (crushed oyster shells). I choose pellets at this point because the chickens make a mess of the crumbles - but it's just a personal choice. Neither is better than the other.


Bedding
Paper towel method has worked well for me - and it's great especially if you don't have a TON of chicks. I usually use this for the first 3-5 days.

After the first 5 days: with one batch I raised, I had them on pine shavings. The next batch I raised on pelleted horse bedding from a local feed store for $7.00 (40 Lb bag - which was PLENTY for 30 chicks). I liked the pelleted bedding - it dried up moisture right away and kept the smell away. I'll be using it again in the future.


I hope all this helps! Good luck!!! Oh...and you're going to want more chicks! It's addictive!

Thanks for rescuing the babies! That's really nice of you!

 

[Tikka]

Paper towels are great! I am not sure on the red lamp. I guess it could work if you get it close enough, but you don't want them to be able to touch it. I've wanted a red bulb but I only see them in 250 watt (for heat lamps) so I've stuck with my 125, mostly because my fixture is only rated for 100. The only other thing I'd say is to check for pasting over, which is when the poop forms a plug effectively blocking their bowls.

We had chicks when I was a kid that we didn't have any special equipment for. They drank from saucers and ran around in the yard all day. Of course, it was later in the year, and survival wasn't great.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The newspaper is not recommended as it is slick and it may cause spraddle legg. Not that every chick on newspaper will get spraddle leg, just that if can cause it.

For the record, most medicated feed does not contain antibiotics. Most contain Amprolium that restricts the reproduction of the protazoa that causes coccidiosis in the digestive tract of the chick. It still allows the chick to develop immunity to that strain of coccidiosis if the protazoa is present by allowing some of the protazoa to reproduce. You need to know what the active ingredient in the medicated feed actually is before you feed it. Not allowing the chicks to develop the immunity puts them at greater risk later in their life.

If the chicks are on wood shavings, I'd suggest providing them with grit free choice. I wired a small yogurt cup to the side of the brooder and put sand in it. This will help get their digestive system working the way it is intended to work and allow them to grind up any wood shaving they might eat. They do not need additional grit if all they eat is starter, but I like to provide grit free choice. Starter may actually contain some grit, but I'm not sure so I provide it on the side. It's one of those things that will not hurt them and might help them, so I do it.

As far as heat, let the chicks tell you if they are too hot or too cold. If they stay as far from the heat source as they can get, they are too hot. If they huddle under the heat source and cheep in a distress cry, they need more heat. You can adjust it by raising or lowering the bulb. Be very careful to secure it. Lights start fires and burn chicks when they fall. It won't be long before the chicks are jumping and trying to fly. Please take pains to secure the light. I find it works best for me to heat one corner of the brooder to the recommended temperature range and let the rest be a little cooler. They will find their own comfort zone. Chicks and grown chickens can usually handle temperatures a bit too cool than temperatures too warm but the chicks need to have the opportunity to warm back up.