Questions before chicks arrive

[SandyRiverChick]

I would put the food and waterer on a piece of 2x6 or a brick or something that raises it slightly. Did you say they'll be in the box for a few weeks? Do you have more boxes or something to move them to if the box starts to mush (moisture happens in brooders.) I do think you're good to go for the first few days but that you'll want to change the box out eventually. Maybe find a bigger box as they grow ?? Some people who brood indoors use inexpensive little tents. I brood outdoors but I'd really try that if I was doing indoors again. It's great you did the test, *93 is plenty for the first day and you'll just go down from there. Hope you post pics of the little's!!

 

[BarnyardChaos]

For the first day or two, they'll need a flat surface like newspaper and paper towels to walk on. Wood chips are fine after they've learned to walk well, and find their food and water in the containers, but not the first few days. Make sure it's not slippery (paper towels or scrap fabric are great). You can scatter the feed on the floor to teach them to eat.

No plastic underneath. It's hard to clean and moisture will get under it anyway and rot out your box, also holding moisture, bacteria and mold IN your box. Ewww. Maybe just put several layers of cardboard on the floor of the box, that you can remove one by one as they become damp and soiled.

Put a scrap of board or upside-down cookie sheet or something under the feeder and waterer to elevate them a little above the wood chips. If not, they'll keep both filled with wood chips.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

the wood chips.

It's hemp. I use it too in the brooder and it's fine for newbies. To your point though, it's not absorbant enough to avoid the inevitable moisture all the way.....

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are some basics you need for your brooder. If you provide the basics you should do really well. There are different ways to provide these basics, that's where it can get confusing. They need food, water, protection from predators, and environmental considerations.

The food is pretty straightforward. If you get a feed that is labeled Starter and is for chickens you'll be OK. Some people use other things which can work too.

They need clean water. There are different ways to provide that water, waterers you can buy, homemade waterers, some people use nipples. If they can poop in it they will, you may need to change it out pretty regularly. Some people put additives in the water, I don't. The additives won't hurt as long as you don't overdo it and they might help.

Predators don't just mean wild critters. They can be your pet dog or cat or even kids that don't know how to handle young chicks.

Environmental is a little more complicated. You need to protect them from rain and wind. In your basement that should not be a problem. The brooder needs to stay dry. A wet brooder can be unhealthy. Moisture can come from their waterer. If their poop builds up thick enough it won't dry out. There are different techniques to keep a brooder dry. In your basement that will probably entail cleaning out the bedding as you need to.

The need a spot warm enough in the coolest conditions and a spot cool enough in the warmest conditions. In your basement with that small temperature swing that should be easy to set up. I brood outside and occasionally have a 50 degree Fahrenheit swing in a 24 hour period, it gets more challenging. You may read that they need the temperature to drop 5 degrees a week. They don't NEED that. The older they get the cooler the temperatures that they can handle. There is a difference in them being able to handle it and them needing it. I see that confused on here. As long as they have a spot warm enough to go to when they need it, they can handle temperatures below freezing for short periods of time. They are not as fragile as many people believe, but they do need a spot to go to so they can warm up when they need to.

With your basement temperatures in the lower 60's they can easily handle that without supplemental heat at 4 weeks, probably before. It doesn't hurt to provide a warm spot so they have an option, but don't be too surprised at when they quit using it. I've had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20's F without supplemental heat but they were raised in a brooder in my coop so they were acclimated.

I've had chicks 2 weeks old fly over 3 feet to get on the roost when the broody hen told them to. They can fly at a young age if they want to. Most of the time they don't want to. They typically will not fly somewhere that they cannot see where they will land, but they often like to perch. What often happens is that they fly to up to the top of the brooder to perch and who knows which side they will fly down. No, they do not know to fly back in. A top is a good idea.

 

[Psyclops]

Excellent input and very informative everyone, especially @Ridgerunner. Concise and easy to understand.
A cover will be added, no worries. Long term survival of this brooder is not a concern, I just need 2 to 4 weeks of life from it. My biggest concerns are learning what I need so that when I construct a more permanent brooder I will know what the chicks need and what I need to make caring for them as easy as possible.
I will add a 2x6 to elevate the water and feeder.
I will take pics of the chics when they arrive.
Thanks again for all the input. It helps.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Yep RR gives lots of good info. But bottom line on that particular box lasting one month is I would totally best against it. So just make sure to have a backup. ENJOY.

 

[Psyclops]

Yep RR gives lots of good info. But bottom line on that particular box lasting one month is I would totally best against it. So just make sure to have a backup. ENJOY.

Thanks, I certainly will.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Others made great suggestions with the lid. I just wanted to add, as someone who just had baby chicks for the first time last September, that things aren't as "exact" as articles make them out to be. I was really obsessive with my thermometer and everything the first couple weeks, but after that I realized that in most cases, the chicks will tell you what they need. That made it less stressful for me. Here are some things to pay attention to:

• Crowding and trying to cozy up too much or climb and lay on each other (they always sleep next to each other but not on top) tells you they are too cold - move the heat source closer or turn it up.
• Avoiding the heat source, besides trips to the feed/water and occasional zoomies, tells you it's too hot.
• Content chicks are fairly quiet, with little peeps and chirps here and there. Stressed chicks chirp loudly and incessantly. That means they need something. Check heat, feed, and water.
• Inspect their butts daily for pasty butt.

Most everything you need to do, the chicks will tell you if you keep an eye on them. I hope I'm not coming off as telling you you're in the wrong to be stressed or nervous, or to have questions. It's totally normal and we're here to help. It's just that I can really relate to that feeling, and once I learned these things, I was able to calm down a bit and feel more confident. You showing that you are prepared and really care about the chicks tells me you'll do just fine. I hope this helps!

We're all here to answer your questions along the way too, as you've seen. BYC is a great place to be!

 

[rosemarythyme]

For the first day or two, they'll need a flat surface like newspaper and paper towels to walk on. Wood chips are fine after they've learned to walk well, and find their food and water in the containers, but not the first few days. Make sure it's not slippery (paper towels or scrap fabric are great).

Paper towels are fine. I'd avoid newspaper as it can get slippery and cause leg issues. Personally I have no issue putting chicks directly on deep litter but I also provide grit immediately as they will eat some of the litter particles.

 

[Psyclops]

Chicks arrived today!!! I ordered 5 from Chickens For Backyards and 6 arrived. They are a mix of brown egg layers, so I don't know the breeds of them. All are alert and active. They huddled under the heat for about 3 hours and then started exploring, just finished a feed fest so I think we are all rose's right now. And I did follow advice and elevated the feed and water dish by about 2".
Cheers