My chicks are here!

I think you just need to provide fresh water and chick starter.

Being a new chick Mom, not sure why you would need to have any additives in fresh water.

I got my 10 girls from the feed store the day after they arrived from New Mexico 3 days old. I just put them in the prepared brooder with the fresh water, feed and red heat lamp and they found the food and water on their own.

I had three that had paste butt that I cleaned with barely warm water at the sink after they had a chance to eat and drink. A wet paper towel didn't work because it was so thick and stuck around the vent.

Good luck with your new babies and be sure to show us pics.

 

Some people do ad sugar to the water. The hatchery I ordered mine from emailed me the things to do to get the brooder ready and that was one thing that they added. I can't find that list anywhere now so i'm not sure how much sugar you put

 

You may add 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar to each quart of water if you choose. I've never done it and I've lost very few birds over the years.

You should put newspaper over your bedding for the first day. Most instruction sheets I've read tell you to sprinkle chick starter on the newpaper as well. This is supposed to get the chicks eating on their own, as well as preventing them from eating bedding.

Personally, I would think it would teach the chicks to look below their feet for food, rather than in the feeders, and I have never done this myself. I've always just put them down on coarse pine bedding with well-stocked feeders and had great results.

Whatever you do, don't keep them on paper for more than 1 day or they could get spraddle-legged.

Just relax, read some care instructions on the hatchery sites and be calm and take your time. Your babies have been alive for at least 2 days and a few minutes more out of the brooder won't make or break them.

 

Very cool! Thanks for posting the pictures of the babies!!

 

Very cute!!

 

Cute!!! Where did you get your Buff Orps from?