New and absolutely no idea. Help!!

chickiedee123

Hatching
9 Years
Jun 12, 2010
1
0
7
Hello!
My mother was kindly given to chicks yesterday for her kindergarten class, but out family have no idea how to look after chicken, at all.
I've read some of the information floating about this website and I'm set them up in a sturdy carboard box and have a light source for them and last night everything went well.

I do not know how old they are, but I did notice on their wings some new features are beginning to form. They also seem very chatty and are constantly twittering around to each other and playing (ie, running around after each other, snatching each others food.).

My problem is one of the chicks continues to jump out of the box. Already in the past hour she/he's jumped out around 4 times!! This one is alittle smaller than the other, but only slightly.

Can anyone suggest another arrangement for them? I dont want to leave the house and leave them alone if the lil backie is going to jump out!!
 
You should try doing a search for "brooder" in the search box on this site. you can see alot of pics of what others have done to house their chicks. At the very least you will need a lid. Rubbermaid containers with a screen top are pretty simple and easy or you could build a nice wooden box that they will be able to stay in for a longer period of time.
Good luck with your chicks !!
 
I would recommend you go to TSC, home depot or lowes and buy some welded wire. Go to walmart and buy a rubbermaid container with lid. cut the middle piece of the lid out replace it with the wire and they can't jump out. Or you can do like I did I had a extra kennel put the plastic poultry wire around the sides and over the tray and it is easier to clean cause I just put paper on the tray.
 
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I would highly recommend buying the book Raising Chickens for Dummies. No, I don't get a kickback, even though I have written a Dummies book (not on Chickens).

Basically, you're going to have to set up a small brooder with a lamp and keep the temperature at 95F the first week. (Get a thermometer). After that, you need to reduce the heat by 5 degrees each week. The chicks should be happy and moving around, not too hot (panting and moving away from the heat) or too cold (huddled beneath the lamp). Pick up some mesh wire or chicken wire and fit it over the brooder. Don't use cardboard as it can get icky if it gets wet. Try a large rubbermaid or other storage container with the top off.

Be sure to feed the chicks chick crumbles and always provide water. Good luck!
 
I used half of an old dog crate as a brooder box, and recycled an old fishing net to cover the top with, pulled it tight and used clothes pins to secure it to the crate. It was a very fine mesh and it worked great!
 
Just make sure the little chickies can get away from the heat source if need be. You don't want to come home and find little nuggets.
Always supply them with food and fresh water. They sound healthy and active, so keep up the good work!
oh, and
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You mentioned that they are running around snatching food from each other. What are you feeding them? They should only be given chick crumbles at this age. If they are being given anything else (aside from cooked egg or yogurt) they need grit. Without it they can't grind the food they're eating.
 

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