New baby chicks

[4Crazychickens4me]

ok so first time getting baby chicks. Kinda nervous but here they are. Any tips would be great!

 

[Flock Master64]

Keep their bedding dry. Try and make sure the heat lamp isn’t to close or far away. If they fall asleep in the outer edges of thre box then there’s too much heat. If they all huddle directly under the lamp when they sleep it’s too far away.

 

[Hufflefluff]

So cute! Your set up looks great. Do you have a plan to expand the brooder when they're a little over? Is your coop ready yet? No big rush, but they always grow up faster than you'd expect.
As for tips, the big thing is just to watch them and adapt to their behaviour. Chicks are pretty good at telling you when they're uncomfortable Other fun things to do with them and for them include:
- Roosts. Chickens of all ages like to have something to perch on, and it's always cute watching them learn to use one. When mine are a week or so old I generally fashion one out of small sticks and twigs, sturdy enough and long enough to hold 3-4 and about 1 inch off the ground, and put it in the brooder for them. It sometimes takes a little teaching (read: placing them on it until the figure out how to not fall off,) but then they love it.
- Hand raising. Assuming you're raising them to be family friendly, bonding with them as babies is important. They're more comfortable with being approached from the side then from overhead, and always appreciate some out of brooder playtime. For mine, I like to spread out a tarp next to the brooder where I can sit and play with them. I'll take them out of the brooder and into the 'playspace' about once a day for roughly half an hour- whenever I have the time. Bring treats like scrambled eggs or wetted down food for them to eat from your hands if you want them to.
- Treats. Fun food treats for baby chicks are mashed hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, a little wet food, cooked oatmeal, and sometimes mashed banana. If you're also providing them grit, then other fruits, rolled oats, and leafy veggies they can tear at are also fun. I've heard chicks love mealworms, too. Just make sure they're still eating mostly chick starter, and don't feed too many treats too early.
- Dust bathing. Chicks will dustbathe in brooder shavings, but it's a little cleaner and more fun (for them) to have a dust bathing pan either in the brooder or where you play with them. It's very messy, though, and by no means a necessity

Anyway, these were just some quick things I thought of. Your chicks look like they're doing great- I hope you have fun with them!

 

[christwodog]

Super cute! Yes, it can be nerve-wracking with babies! I am nervous about my shipment arriving in 2 weeks, and it will be my 3rd batch! Just make sure they can regulate their temperature, being able to warm up or cool off as needed. And keep the brooder as clean as you are able to, they like to spill food and water (like all the time!) Good luck!

 

[Caseym1717]

Hello! I just got my first chicks last Thursday. I felt like I had just brought a newborn home, I was so nervous! However, I realized how easy it is after you get the hang of it and realize that they aren't too demanding. What I can say is that about twice a day I would check for pasty butt to make sure things are looking nice and clean. Lastly, quiet chicks are happy chicks! So I have realized that the chirping means something is off or they are a little stressed. Good luck!

 

[4Crazychickens4me]

Keep their bedding dry. Try and make sure the heat lamp isn’t to close or far away. If they fall asleep in the outer edges of thre box then there’s too much heat. If they all huddle directly under the lamp when they sleep it’s too far away.[/

So cute! Your set up looks great. Do you have a plan to expand the brooder when they're a little over? Is your coop ready yet? No big rush, but they always grow up faster than you'd expect.
As for tips, the big thing is just to watch them and adapt to their behaviour. Chicks are pretty good at telling you when they're uncomfortable Other fun things to do with them and for them include:
- Roosts. Chickens of all ages like to have something to perch on, and it's always cute watching them learn to use one. When mine are a week or so old I generally fashion one out of small sticks and twigs, sturdy enough and long enough to hold 3-4 and about 1 inch off the ground, and put it in the brooder for them. It sometimes takes a little teaching (read: placing them on it until the figure out how to not fall off,) but then they love it.
- Hand raising. Assuming you're raising them to be family friendly, bonding with them as babies is important. They're more comfortable with being approached from the side then from overhead, and always appreciate some out of brooder playtime. For mine, I like to spread out a tarp next to the brooder where I can sit and play with them. I'll take them out of the brooder and into the 'playspace' about once a day for roughly half an hour- whenever I have the time. Bring treats like scrambled eggs or wetted down food for them to eat from your hands if you want them to.
- Treats. Fun food treats for baby chicks are mashed hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, a little wet food, cooked oatmeal, and sometimes mashed banana. If you're also providing them grit, then other fruits, rolled oats, and leafy veggies they can tear at are also fun. I've heard chicks love mealworms, too. Just make sure they're still eating mostly chick starter, and don't feed too many treats too early.
- Dust bathing. Chicks will dustbathe in brooder shavings, but it's a little cleaner and more fun (for them) to have a dust bathing pan either in the brooder or where you play with them. It's very messy, though, and by no means a necessity

Anyway, these were just some quick things I thought of. Your chicks look like they're doing great- I hope you have fun with them!

.



Thanks for all the info. We already have 4 girls that we inherited from the neighbors. So we do have a coop and run already. We do have to finish it since it was the beginning of December we didn’t get much time to finish off with winter knocking at our door. Well probably add on to that coop a little I have just never had little ones and wow I was up 4 times last night to check on them. Also not sure if you know the answer to this or not but the one Rhode Island Red is a little smaller than the other birds and the seem to like pecking at her fuzz on the side. She’s not bothered by it but just didn’t know if that’s gonna be a problem or not.

 

[GratitudeGates]

ok so first time getting baby chicks. Kinda nervous but here they are. Any tips would be great!

Your chick set up looks good the only thing that I did different this year was I learned about a Ceramic Heat Lamp rather than the red one since it doesn't seem natural to have a red light on 24/7 and I added feather dusters hanging from the top so they could hide under them to simulate their mom. Enjoy them as they grow so fast !!!

 

[4Crazychickens4me]

Your chick set up looks good the only thing that I did different this year was I learned about a Ceramic Heat Lamp rather than the red one since it doesn't seem natural to have a red light on 24/7 and I added feather dusters hanging from the top so they could hide under them to simulate their mom. Enjoy them as they grow so fast !!!

What kind of feather dusters? My husband has a lot of turkey feathers we didn’t know if we could make one up from them or if that’s not a good idea

 

[GratitudeGates]

I bought them and I think they are Ostrich Feathers the babies love them and will run under them and hide then pop back out. I saw it on a youtube thing. Enjoy they are so fun....I put a picture of the chick crib I have set up right now I think it is in the gallery. I am new so not sure where it is.

 

[4Crazychickens4me]

I bought them and I think they are Ostrich Feathers the babies love them and will run under them and hide then pop back out. I saw it on a youtube thing. Enjoy they are so fun....I put a picture of the chick crib I have set up right now I think it is in the gallery. I am new so not sure where it is.

Ok so what’s in



Ok so I did find your picture. What do you have in the corner opposite of the feather dusters?