New Chick Mommy Questions

[ClareScifi]

It has been a long time since I've had baby chicks hatch. Can someone remind me what I need to do? I should buy a red heat lamp; right, and put the chicks in a tall cardboard box lined with newspaper and pine shavings? I should put a grate atop the box so they don't fly out? Temperature at 95 degrees F for how long? Vitamin mix in their drinking water for how long? When do I start giving them chick starter and for how long? I need to make sure their poop does not get plugged up inside them. Anything I am forgetting?

I am so excited. My Banty is to hatch 4 eggs of large-sized hens next Wednesday sometime. It will be staggered hatching -- 2 on Wednesday, 1 on Thursday and one on Friday, so I'm thinking I will need to collect the first-to-hatch chicks and raise them inside in the cardboard box until the final chick hatches on Friday, so the Banty doesn't abandon the remaining eggs as soon as the fist chicks hatch?

All feedback will be appreciated.

 

[gander007]

Sound's like you remember just fine

The first week on all your questions and by then you will
have probably have given the chicks back to their mother

 

[ClareScifi]

Thanks, gander007. In another group someone suggested apple cider vinegar in their water-- but I thought I recalled someone saying to wait until they are 6-8 weeks old before starting them on apple cider vinegar?

 

[gander007]

Thanks, gander007. In another group someone suggested apple cider vinegar in their water-- but I thought I recalled someone saying to wait until they are 6-8 weeks old before starting them on apple cider vinegar?

Apple Cider Vinegar yes I normally do not do it till some where around
week 6 or 8 weeks of age .....



Inside my Brooder ...


These guys are two week old here ...

 

[AbiLuv]

Idk about the vinegar, I have never tried that and I've been raising chickens for four years.
You should just put the food in the whole time, whether they eat it or not, and they can decide if they're ready to eat for themselves. Also, remember to dip their beaks in the waterer so they know where to get a drink. And put small rocks in the water so they don't fall asleep and drown.

I think that's all

How's everything going?

 

[ClareScifi]

So far, so good! Thanks for the advice!

 

[Joplus]

Hi. New chick mommy here. Had 30 hatched from my first time incubating. They are very tired and sleeping. They look dead and I pick them up and they are fine. They are around 5-24 hours old. They have food and water and heat. In the incubator (in my bedroom) they were wild and me and my baby couldn't take another sleepless night so I put them in the brooder. I read they could stay in the incubator for a couple days but I don't think they were happy. So normal that all 30 chicks are asleep? And any other good tips? Thanks

 

[Joplus]

And a pic of my sleeping beauties.

 

[ClareScifi]

So cute! Little sleeping chicks often look dead. I remember thinking my baby roo was dead-- he would sleep standing up and topple over. Scared me to death. But a friend told me that was normal chick sleeping posture. LOL.