So I've got 6 chicks, two weeks old, that I've had for about a day and a half now. I had given them a waterer and feeder from the store--the kind that you screw a jar into--but this morning the shavings and the birds were all damp. So I took it out and made a waterer from a plastic yogurt container by cutting two holes in the sides each big enough for a chick to get her head in comfortably.
I watched for a long time but they only seemed to understand it as some new species of perch, so I finally ushered a few heads into the holes. Two of them eventually drank, but I haven't seen any of the others drink yet. Should I assume that they are able to figure this out, or keep shoving heads into the holes until each one has proven that she gets it? Should I assume that if they keep acting normal and pooping plenty they aren't dehydrated, or should I put the old waterer back in at least for a little while?
You can lead a chick to water...
Oh, and should I blow dry the birds if they get damp again? I just toweled them off and they preened under the heat lamp this morning.
This thread should probably be titled "New chicken owner. Does she 'get it'?"
I watched for a long time but they only seemed to understand it as some new species of perch, so I finally ushered a few heads into the holes. Two of them eventually drank, but I haven't seen any of the others drink yet. Should I assume that they are able to figure this out, or keep shoving heads into the holes until each one has proven that she gets it? Should I assume that if they keep acting normal and pooping plenty they aren't dehydrated, or should I put the old waterer back in at least for a little while?
You can lead a chick to water...
Oh, and should I blow dry the birds if they get damp again? I just toweled them off and they preened under the heat lamp this morning.
This thread should probably be titled "New chicken owner. Does she 'get it'?"