New Chicken Mama here

[Waters-flock]

Hi, can I ask if you are feeding dry chick crumble or if you are mixing water in to make a mash?
The mash method helps a ton with ease of digestion and stops a lot of poop problems before they start.
Brooder bedding, alfalfa hay is awesome.
They'll eat it, love it too and it is so good for them.
Their feet will stay clean and it smells very nice.

I am feeding dry chick crumble but was going to feed mash as a treat. Next time, I’ll start with mash sooner. I guess I’m learning some of this stuff as I go. Also, I am currently using hemp and they seem to like that quite a bit.

 

[Chickassan]

Oh yes, mash is definitely the best starter in my opinion it is much, much easier on them and ensures they all eat plenty,
Try it out, you'll see.
It also makes your feed last longer with much less mess and waste.
Bonus, you can carry it over into adulthood to reap the same benefits.

I am feeding dry chick crumble but was going to feed mash as a treat. Next time, I’ll start with mash sooner. I guess I’m learning some of this stuff as I go. Also, I am currently using hemp and they seem to like that quite a bit.

 

[Waters-flock]

I just put some mash in there and although it took a little time for them to figure it out, they are now all chowing down on it. Wish I had given this to Winny to help her more. I'm certainly learning how to do this differently next time.

 

[Chickassan]

It is a learning curve, for sure.
I didn't start doing it for chicks either until last year when the chicks I had shipped were all miniscule and had troubles eating the smallest crumbles.
I had 10 Winnys.

I just put some mash in there and although it took a little time for them to figure it out, they are now all chowing down on it. Wish I had given this to Winny to help her more. I'm certainly learning how to do this differently next time.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

1) Lots of poop - normal.
2) Of course it's weird, but that's okay.
3) They were most likely chilled. Warming up and getting more active is normal.
4) They peck at everything = trying to see whether or not it's good to eat.
5) Monitor and intercede if any don't seem to be doing well.
6) Crash and burn - normal
7)RELAX and enjoy your chicks.

I’m a first timer too and now that they are 8 weeks old, i wish i held them more when they were super young. I too, didnt want to stress them out, but looking back, i wish i did hold them more. I sit with them for long periods and they will jump on me and lay on me; but as soon as I try to pick one up, they scream and run away! Its cute and normal, but i think if I could go back, i woulda picked them up all the time! One BYC expert told me to stop trying to not stress them. They need to be exposed to stressors to prepare them for the real world. Vacuum, dogs, kids, being picked up ect…. All of this exposure is a good thing. In moderation of course! Enjoying every minute of being a chick momma. I hope you do too! I am a nervous nelly naturally so its been tough, but as long as they are all doing the normal chicken things, they are all ok! Someone also taught me, the rule of thirds, so say if you have 6 chicks, 2 maybe be resting, 2 maybe be eating, 2 maybe pecking around. Mine all do the same things and stick close together. Me and the girls spend so much time together, I think they believe I am the top chick and they all lay around me when I sit in their run. If I walk over to their food, so do they. Whereever I go, they go. Its adorable. My Girls