New chick, help!

[justastudent]

So I went to a school fair today, and one of the games was if you threw a ball you you hit all three cans, you'd get a prize. That prize is a baby chick, one of those dyed ones. I got the blue one and I've asked my friends that have successfully raised the same chick into a proper grown hen that I should put it in the other warm room. Keep in mind that I have no experience with any chicks AT ALL. No heat lamp, no nothing. Just a cardboard box, some newspaper, water, some rice, pretty much it. I covered half of the box, which I learned in YouTube.

Back to the question,
I'm going to go sleep but the room is air conditioned, so I put him in the other room, but I don't know if I can leave him, cause he only sleeps with me there. I'm gonna buy another chick as apparently they need friends.

Can I leave him or not?

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. Chicks need warmth, companionship, and proper food - rice doesn't cut it. Good luck.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
It needs proper warmth. It's rather appalling that a carnival would dye chicks and use them as "prizes" at a fair. You have fallen victim to this. You are completely unprepared for what you've just brought home.
The chick needs a warm, dry brooder, chick food, fresh clean water at all times and most importantly MORE CHICKS!!
Then when these chicks rocket to adulthood, they will need a proper coop and run. These things do not happen overnight. It takes a lot of planning to get it right.
Is there someone you know that raises chickens that may be willing to take this poor creature and raise it properly?
BTW - uncooked rice can kill the chick. It needs proper food, clean water and warmth NOW or it may not last more than a day or two.

 

[FortCluck]

I would get some sort of heat for it because it needs to be warm. You can put a stuffed animal in with it so that it can cuddle with the stuffed animal. Put a mirror inside the area where it's staying so that it thinks that there's another chick and won't be so lonely.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Not the most appropriate “prize” for sure

Here are some links to useful resources:

• List of guides on how to use the site - “How to...” guides
• Great go-to resource - Learning Centre
• Good starting point for browsing the site - Articles
• Insightful feedback on how members manage their flocks - Topic of the Week back-catalogue

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[BullChick]

I am sorry the chicks are being treated like a prize. That is unfair.
The chick should be in a warmer room. Until you can get it flock mates, a small stuffed animal or rolled sock can substitute.

 

[Ted_Harrell]

If it is a chick you will need chick starter food. I would suggest the medicated version and the chick needs heat to about 95 degrees for the first week then reduce it by 5 degrees a week until about 4-5 weeks..

 

[FortCluck]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
It needs proper warmth. It's rather appalling that a carnival would dye chicks and use them as "prizes" at a fair. You have fallen victim to this. You are completely unprepared for what you've just brought home.
The chick needs a warm, dry brooder, chick food, fresh clean water at all times and most importantly MORE CHICKS!!
Then when these chicks rocket to adulthood, they will need a proper coop and run. These things do not happen overnight. It takes a lot of planning to get it right.
Is there someone you know that raises chickens that may be willing to take this poor creature and raise it properly?
BTW - uncooked rice can kill the chick. It needs proper food, clean water and warmth NOW or it may not last more than a day or two.

I was thinking the same thing, but didn't say it. Why do they use live animals as prizes? Live animals are a commitment not a prize.

 

[FortCluck]

Do you have a tractor supply or some type of feed store near you?

The chick needs the proper nutrition which would be chick starter. When you feed them something other than chick starter they need chick grit to be able to digest their food.

The chick needs water as well and I would suggest using room temperature water. You can buy waterers for chicks at feed stores like tractor supply.

You will need to put some sort of bedding like pine shavings, straw, or hay. Don't use cedar shavings because they give off fumes that can kill a chick.

You need to research a lot into chickens because you need a lot of knowledge to be able to raise this animal correctly.

 

[FortCluck]

Where are you located?

We can look up the closest store to you so that you can properly raise this chick. I don't want it to pass away on you because that will be devastating.