Oh my, hadn't thought about FOOD & WATER for new babies! Help?

[MamaMarcy]

I have 7 eggs due to hatch out in the coop in about 4 days. This is my first broody hatch. I plan to leave the chicks with their mamas, but do have an alternate coop if need be. Hmm, I wonder if I should just move them? There's 2 huge pekin ducks and 2 runner ducks in with the chickens.


Anyway do i put food and chick starter in the coop for the babies? Our set up now is an enclosed run with 2 coop houses off it (up sybstantial ramps). The birds drink from a bucket with nipples on top, which would be out of reach for the chicks. The feed is a hanging bucket thing, also out of reach.

If I do a bowl of water for the chicks inside the hen house I assume using rocks inside is prudent? Or would I be better hanging a rodent bottle (like for hamsters) for them? And I need chick starter for them, right? Is it ok for mamas to eat it too?

We're due to go on a 4 day campout once the babies are about 4-5 days old and I'm pretty sure our neighbor will tend to them, but I want to make it easy as possible.

Oh my. I'm getting so nervous.

I think I'll be spending the day tomorrow cleaning out the old bantam coop and moving it. If I move the mamas and babies do I do it now or after they hatch???

 

[Judy]

The mamas will do fine on chick starter. They don't even need the extra calcium now, since they're not laying. Yes, rocks would be prudent. If you don't choose to buy a small plastic waterer, then just use any old dish, with rocks or marbles in it. If you have a rodent bottle I'd sure set it up -- but you will probably have to teach them to use it, especially if the mama doesn't know how.

The mamas should protect the chicks from the other chickens fine, but I have no idea on the ducks, I've never owned a duck.

 

[MamaMarcy]

Oh Judy you GOTTA get a duck

Thanks for the advice.

I've decided since it's actually sunny in Seattle today to make my kids get up and get dressed and go outside and we're going to clean out, repair latches, and move the bantam coop to relocate the mamas.

Yay!

 

[MamaMarcy]

Oh...the Mamas are used to drinking from the bottom of a bucket with "nipples" similar to a rodent bottle...so I may opt for that. The bantam coop has a hanger in it already for the bottle.



Ok, last question....since the mommies will be doing the brooding, no brooding light needed right?