Buy
chick starter. That's what it's called. There are different brands. It comes in a form called crumbles that's small enough for chicken chicks to swallow.
Get the biggest
plastic tub you can find. Clear is best because that way the chicks see you coming from the side. If you loom overhead like a hawk, they'll be afraid of you. They may be anyhow. Baby birds are more jumpy than older ones. It's just instinct--a survival thing.
If you cut out a big square from the lid and screw hardware cloth over the hole (use washers), that will be super useful. Otherwise, don't use the lid.
You can buy an
infrared brooder plate for a more natural sleep experience for the chicks. (
Amazon--I got the cheaper knock-off, which works fine.) It is a square tile-thingie on four legs. The tile heats up and the chicks have their backs brushing against it when they want the warmth. The height is adjustable.
Or you can buy a
brooder lamp and a
heat bulb. (or you can use both as I do.) I use the brooder plate the whole time and use the lamp for the first several days. Bulbs come in a number of variations. Some like the red ones; some like the white. I like black ceramic reptile bulbs. They're pricey, but they heat well and put off no light, so the babies can have a more natural night's sleep. (And so can you because they won't be constantly crying due to the bright (or red) light that keeps them awake.)
Amazon again, or a local pet store, etc. These bulbs aren't available every department store, but they can be found.
If you have modified your lid as suggested, you can take off the crossed bulb-protecter wires and set your lamp face-down on the hardware cloth.
Thermometer to lay on the floor of the brooder so you have some idea of the temp down there. Often the hatchery will send one with the chicks.
Puppy pads or paper toweling to cover the bedding for the first 2-3 days. This discourages the eating of bedding materials such as pine shavings. It gives the babies an opportunity to learn what is food and what is not. I put a little bit of starter crumble in a lid (mason jar sized or similar) and sprinkle some around on the puppy pad.
Bedding. Equine pellets are nice, if you can find them. Coarse rather than fine pine (not cedar) shavings. Usually I get stuck using fine anyhow because the coarse ones are nowhere to be found. In that case, you NEED
chick grit. (Yes, that's what it's called.) Grit is your chickens' teeth. They swallow it, it lodges in their gizzards and grinds up their food (and their not-food). They will eat bedding. You cannot stop them. When they do, the grit will grind it down for them.
Feeder There are many kinds. Most folks start out with the self-filling bottle kind. They have colorful "flying saucers" that screw onto a plastic bottle (or small-mouthed mason jar). The "saucer" has holes all round for the babies to eat from.
Waterer, same as above, only the saucer part is just an encircling trough.
Congratulations! You will love having chickens!
I need a Chicken Manual for Dummies.
Welcome from New Orleans. You are already getting great information. You have come to the right place, no question is too silly. There are lots of helpful people to answer any questions you have. There are also lots of great articles to help with education. Good luck with your chicks and keep us posted on how you and they are doing. We love hearing stories and especially seeing pictures.
