More Questions

[SamanthaBrooke]

WOW,
I have been raising chickens for 2 years now but have NEVER ordered day old chicks online before, I just placed my order for 25 Porcelain D'Uccle Bantams and am very excited for them but I am also very nervous because it was considered quite an investment for myself and my husband so I would like to ensure that they stay alive. Besides having the brooder prewarmed and warm water and chick starter what else should I have on hand for their arrival?

Now I don't want to go to crazy with expenses as I still need to buy the feed and a new inferred heat light for my lamp but if there is some basic supplies I need, please fill me in, I'd rather not lose a single one of them if I can help it!

Thank you!

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are a lot of things you can do, but other than providing them with predator and environmental protection, feed, and water, there is nothing else you need to do.

Some people add sugar or electrolytes to the first water they drink to help give them a little more energy. I don’t and I’ve never lost any shipped chicks, but some people do that. Just clean the waterer after a few hours if you use sugar water so it doesn’t go sour.

Some people feed all kinds of strange and glorious things to them. I just use chick starter.

I take some dirt from my run that the adults have recently pooped in and give that to them on about the second or third day. I do this for different reasons, some of which will horrify some people. This gets grit in their system. As long as all they eat is chick starter, they don’t need the grit but it also won’t hurt them. I think it helps set their system up the way it is supposed to be.

This also gets any probiotics in their system that the adults have. This can’t hurt.

But the big reason I get dirt that the adults have pooped in is so I can introduce anything the adults have to them at a very young age. The organisms that cause Coccidiosis are a great example. Chicks can develop the immunities they need better at a very young age. Plus I can watch them closer in the brooder than later and more easily treat if I have to. I’ve never had to. I keep the brooder pretty dry which inhibits the growth of the Coccidiosis organism. The chickens will have to face all that when they hit the ground anyway. I prefer they get that introduction when they are better able to develop those immunities and I can better control their environment.

This is pure personal preference. Lots of people don’t do it this way and they do OK.

Good luck!

 

[SamanthaBrooke]

Thank you for the advice, I appreciate your input!