New here! Help me make sure I have everything I need!!

[Volker27]

This is my first post, but I've been lurking and learning for months now!

Tomorrow is the big day!! We have 4 baby chicks coming our way. We've been preparing and planning. Our outdoor coop is almost done... But I'm most nervous about bringing home the babies. I was wondering if you all could help me ensure that I have all the things that I need?

We got a free pack and play to use as their brooder - I cleaned it really good, covered the bottom with pine pellets, and covered the pellets with paper towels so I can monitor their poop/pee for the first few days. I have their heat lamp set up, ensuring with a thermometer gun (some 'man' toy my husband has) that the temp is at 95. We have a waterer and a feeder, and of course food.

I have just a few questions --
- I got several samples of 'chick boost' from the feed store... Should I give this to them tomorrow when I pick them up? We ordered them locally.

- My 'brooder' is in the house, so do I still need my heat lamp at 95*?

- Do I need chick grit right away?

I guess my biggest concern is what do I do with them when I get them home? Do I need to dip their beaks in water? Leave them alone? I'm SO nervous!! I've read and read but some things contradict other things. I'm so terrified of losing a chick, which is silly, but we've been waiting to get chickens for over a year now.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Congratulations! You must be so excited.

The temperature to keep chicks at is just an approximate number. The rule of thumb is to decrease 5 degrees each week. For example, if your chick is 1 week old then they should be kept around 90*, 2 weeks old- 85*, and so on.
But your chicks will tell you if they are hot, cold, or comfortable. (Too hot- the chicks will be on the corners of the brooder, furthest from the heat lamp as possible. Too cold- the chicks will be huddling together underneath the heat lamp. If the chicks are comfortable they will be scattered all around the brooder, eating, drinking, and just being a chick.)

Chick grit is not needed unless the chicks are getting treats.

Once you get them home, I would place them in their brooder, supply them with food and water and let them relax a bit so that they can get used to their new environment.

Your brooder sound like it is a good environment for your new arrivals.

Good luck with them!

 

[ArtGirl]

Hope your new chick are healthy and happy when they arrive

.
What we do if our new chicks are weaker than normal and sleeping a lot we give them electrolytes (save a chick). It's a energy booster for chicks that aren't doing good or have a injury to make them drink and eat more plus it gives them more vitamins to make them feel better

. You can buy it at your local feed store for about 50 cents and it mixes into a full gallon of water

.