My first chicks!

[nutsoverfluffbutts22]

Hey everyone! I am picking up my babies here soon and I'm experiencing Chicken Mama Nerves! Any tips on how to raise them? This is my first time pls help

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Hello! Here is a helpful article:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...our-hand-at-raising-chickens-read-this.80185/

And also a link to the Learning Center:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/learning-center.11/

 

[Callender Girl]

You've already been directed to some great advice and information.

Here's my 2 cents: Ideally, you have a brooder already set up and warming. Be prepared for adorable, tiny creatures who will make unimaginably big messes. Keep them warm and dry, handle them as often as possible (from their level, not from above like a predator) and be prepared to fall in love.

Best wishes with your babies!

 

[fldiver97]

Have a brooder ready. You may need a cover for it like a frame with hardware cloth or at least chicken wire to keep cats, dogs, little toddler hands out. A water dish the they can not drown in or get completely wet.
Chick feed, a feeder/dish, some type of bedding.
A heat source, I prefer the heating plate type that’s now very commonly available over heat lamps. Chick grit once they start eating stuff other than chick crumbles. I like to put a couple of small branches in the brooder after a few days for entertainment and ‘roosting’ . If the weather is nice I like to take babies outside in the grass for a little bit, otherwise I like to grab a chunk of soil and grass/weeds for them to scratch around once they’re a few days old. Daily bum checks for pasty butt while they’re young…. I’m sure others will have lots of input
Check out the forum on raising baby chicks, it’s really helpful

 

[nutsoverfluffbutts22]

Update: Just came home with them, and since I got them from Mt. Healthy Hatcheries, they threw in an extra! So I now have 5 little floof balls. Thank you all for the advice! In order: Pebbles, Blue, the brooder, Misty, Delta, extra chicken (needs a name)
The last one is a Blue Australorp, right? (She is just a lot more yellow so not sure)

 

[nutsoverfluffbutts22]

If the weather is nice I like to take babies outside in the grass for a little bit, otherwise I like to grab a chunk of soil and grass/weeds for them to scratch around once they’re a few days old.

It is in the high 50s low 60s outside, is that good or too cold?

 

[thecatumbrella]

It is in the high 50s low 60s outside, is that good or too cold?

Just let them chill out in the brooder. It's too stressful (and cold) to be bringing them out right now. I don't even start field trips outside until they're 3-weeks old (though some people start sooner, weather depending).

Here's some more learning center content to get you started. Congrats on the new babies. They're adorable.

 

[debid]

Mine are outside playing in all temps but they can retreat to their heat whenever they need to. It was in the 50s this morning so I was out there for a while letting them enjoy some greens and explore.

They do very little going in for heat when the sun is shining.