Hiiiiiiiiiiiii Yall!!! So I'm new here Reading non-stop for the last few days. TONS of terrific information here We'll be getting our first batch of chicks in a few days (hopefully). Just put in an order from Ideal, waiting on a delivery date so I can contact my Post Master. We will be getting 2 Pearl Guinneas, 10 Assorted SR chicks, 5 Welsummers and 4 White Crested Blue Polish SR (thought the kids would like the chicks with "hats" ) I tried for a local feed store for chicks, but no one carried em Since I'm "obsessing" over this, being a first timer and all... I wanted to make sure I have everything set up as best as possible, and have everything I'll need... So far, I have a good size tote for them to brood in, it will be lined with newspaper, covered in shavings (PINE! of course ), with paper towels for a couple days (so they don't eat em ) and a feeder that will have starter feed (? I get that right? ) and a shallow waterer so the won't drown. Of course, a heat lamp and thermometer for temp control.. starting at 95ish deg and goin down 5deg each week.. unless the chicks show me differently (crowding under the light or panting/wing flapping). I'll be keeping an eye out for pasty butt, and lethargy/appetite issues as well, just incase... I'm thinkin we might end up with some roos. Hubs and I have devised a plan... we're gonna build a roosting area for them, on the opposite side of the "pen" the nesting boxes are in, with the ability to divide it into 2 seperate area's if needed. My hope is to eventually have some meaties.. though we'll see how things mesh out here after a while. Do I have most everything covered? Missing something? Am I just nuts? Thanks so much for any help yall can give me!!
Nope, you're not nuts, you're excited and rightfully so! You sound about as prepared as you can be, now just get those babies and enjoy!!!
Your OCD will pay off big time!! Now did you remember to ask for time off work just so you can watch your peep-aquarium?
There will be plenty of pics and I think I'm even gonna see about gettin the video camera up and running Thankfully, I don't have to worry about taking time off work , since I'm not working right now ( ) That'll give me n the kids plenty of time to get acclimated to the chicks and ohhh and awwww over em l
Looks like you're all set. What I didn't expect was the anxiety I felt when I got my email that my chicks were actually shipped. I took some nice treats to the post office for the workers the day before my chicks were to arrive and that made me feel better; like I was doing .....something..... I think it worked, too because I got 3 calls right in a row from the post office the morning my chicks came in!
Quote:Hi and.....!!!!! First off your not nuts!!!! And second your just like me lol(and probably the rest of us on byc)! And third you're going to LOVE byc! You sound like you have pretty much everything right! Although I would put some pebbles or marbles in the waterer so they won't fall asleep and drown and it will also attract them to the water(just in case even though its a shallow waterer). Also make sure to dip each chick's beak in the water when you take them out of the shipping box. And I know a lot of people say to put sugar, electrolytes and vitamins in the water. But I just give them plain, clean, fresh water. You really should only give them sugar/vitamins if some of them seem lethargic or unhealthy. Also you can give them treats when they are about 2 weeks old.....I gave them scrambled eggs(I know.....but they LOVE it!!!) and clumps of dirt and grass with worms! Also at 2 weeks you can take them for short, superivsed trips outside. Oh and expect a lot of stuff(behavoirial wise with the chicks that you wouldn't expect) that no one online writes about! Like how the chicks REALLY DO imprint on you! They will see you and think mommy and then when you take them out at 2 wks. they will follow you around and jump on your shoulder and peck at your cheek and give you kisses!!!!! Also they are very smart! So good luck! I hope that helped! Its cool because I researched for a looooonnnnngg time and finally got my chicks last month. And I was asking THE SAME questions and people were giving me answers....and now I'm passing that down to you.......AND some day you will pass it on to someone else!!!!! Hope everything goes well!!!!! You will LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Willow's Meadow : .I gave them scrambled eggs(I know.....but they LOVE it!!!) Oh gawd, I told Hubs bout the ground up boiled egg yolk and scrambled eggs and he just looked at me like 'What the heck?!?!?!' I said yup... too funny Noted on the marbles!!! I've got some somewheres round here... though the kids usually roll em under all the furniture or my feet Thanks for ALL the info yall!!! really preciate it!!! I'm obsessing, and I haven't even gotten a delivery date confirmation yet
Willow's Meadow : and clumps of dirt and grass with worms! This is very very important in chicks on medicated chick starter. Coccidiosis lays dormant in the dirt as well as in there feces it takes the combination of the 2 in to large of amounts for the chicks to get cocci, So by feeding medicated food and adding the dirt you help your chicks establish several things, One you allow them to build there immunity to cocci, (by introducing the dirt) Two you allow them natural Grit found in the dirt which helps them digest food and treats that they might gather themselves, Bugs, Ect. (most chick starters come with a grit supplement in them) Three you give them dirt to dust in which is there way of debugging themselves and taking baths. So remember the dirt
Sounds like you're all set! The only thing I can think of is, if you are keeping your baby birds in the garage or somewhere else where rodents can get to them, try and cover the top of their brooder with some sort of wire mesh. Also, the wire mesh will keep the little guys from flying out when they start to get their feathers. They are surprisingly good at "fleaping" as I like to call it.... fly/leaping.
