Our chicks have arrived!

[Aurora1]

We ordered 10 chicks from our local feed store and they arrived on Friday! This is our first flock and we're pretty excited! We have 4 ISA Brown, 3 Barred Rock and 3 Black Sexlink - all to be laying hens. They are the cutest little things ever! We are trying the Eco Glow brooder and it seems to be working well. We've also decided to go the organic route and have started them on organic chick starter. Any thoughts or advice on this?

 

[MountainOrchard]

Congrats! They are so fun when they are small aren't they? And fun when they get bigger too.

I've only done conventional feed so I can't help you with organic suggestions but I'm sure someone will.

 

[3riverschick]

We ordered 10 chicks from our local feed store and they arrived on Friday! This is our first flock and we're pretty excited! We have 4 ISA Brown, 3 Barred Rock and 3 Black Sexlink - all to be laying hens. They are the cutest little things ever! We are trying the Eco Glow brooder and it seems to be working well. We've also decided to go the organic route and have started them on organic chick starter. Any thoughts or advice on this?

Hi,
Sounds like you have a good plan. If you want to ensure you get large healthy gizzards on your adult layers, now is the time to start the process. A large healthy gizzard means more feed is processed properly by the gizzard so the nutrients can be best absorbed as the feed passes thru the digestive tract.
The gizzard is a tough muscle which expands and contracts , grinding the feed with the gravel inside it so it's ready for the digestive tract. Feeding the right size gravel at the right time cam result in as much as 20% more eggs from your adult hens. Here is an article I wrote on the subject a while back. It explains why granite gravel is best, which size to feed at what age. With a bibliography for further study. The Science Of Feeding Grit To Poultry
all 3 posts : https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/891051/the-science-of-feeding-grit-to-poultry
Wait till the chicks are about 3 days old. The sprinkle the chick gravel on some paper towel. So they understand the difference between the gravel and their feed. After about 4 days, you can stop that and put the chick gravel into a small cup for them to choose as they wish.
I use Gran-I-Grit gravel for my birds. They have been making poultry grit since 1935 out at their North Carolina granite quarry. Here's a brochure from them. http://www.jupefeeds-sa.com/documents/GraniteGrit.pdf Feeding instructions on the 2nd page of the PDF. I get my bags of the three different sizes from Agway for less than 10 each for a 50 lb. bag. That will last for years and I know I have the right size for my birds.

Best Regards,
Karen

 

[Aurora1]

Thanks for all the information 3riverschick!! I'll take a look at your links.
Thanks again!

 

[3riverschick]

More than welcome,
Best Success with your chicks!
Karen