Questions?? My RIR chicks are shipping today!!!

[LSU2001]

I am getting excited. My first chicks (25 RIR) are due to ship out of Palm Harbor Fla. today and I have a few questions.

I have my brooder set up in my new coop and our temps have been running in the 60s and 70s in daytime and 50s at night. I have two heat lamps set up with a thermometer in there. I have pine sawdust with an old sheet over it to start with.

My questions are as follows:

1. How much do I feed the chicks each day?

2. I bought vit. electrolyte mix for the first few days but do I need to
give it longer.

3. The feed store did not have any granite grit only pigeon grit. I did
not buy it but would it work? and when do the chicks need grit?

4. Finally, about how long will it take the chicks to come in??
FLA to NOLA then on to my local post office

Thanks in advance for your help.
Tim

 

[beakkeeper]

First off,

and the wonderful world of chickens!

1. Feed them as much as they will eat! Keep good quality food and more importantly, water, in front of them at all times. Clean food and water dishes frequently, the little buggers like to poop in them!

2. Give the electrolyte mix for the first few days, then later if they seem droopy you can put it in the water again.

3. The chicks won't need grit as long as they are on JUST starter. I think around 4 wks you can give them TINY bits of treats and then provide a little grit, separate from the food. (experts correct me if I'm wrong!!!!) Pigeon grit should be OK if it isn't too big, AS LONG AS it isn't "fortified". The extra minerals dumped into other birds' grit is too much for little chicks and will harm them.

4. I am not so sure... the post office should call you when they arrive. Anywhere from tomorrow to Thursday, I would think.

Good luck with your chicks! I won't be getting any till next spring!

 

[beakkeeper]

Oh yeah, forgot to add:

I would NOT use sawdust as bedding. It gets moldy (and therefore, somewhat harmful) more quickly than shavings, even older, "smarter'' chicks could eat it and get sick, and is harder to clean up than shavings.

 

[tim_TX]

My questions are as follows:

1. How much do I feed the chicks each day?

Feed should be provided free choice, that is as much as they want.
Remember to buy starter-feed, not finisher or layer feed. I use shoe box tops as feeders at first, but you'll need to keep them clean. The most important thing for your new chicks to find right away is water, so take them out of the box one at a time and dip their beak in the water so that they know where it is. If your waterer is deep you should put marbles in the tray. Not only will these attract the chicks, but they will also help avoid your chicks getting in the water and becoming chilled, or worse, drowning.

2. I bought vit. electrolyte mix for the first few days but do I need to
give it longer.

I usually give it for the first week.

3. The feed store did not have any granite grit only pigeon grit. I did
not buy it but would it work? and when do the chicks need grit?

Chicks do not need grit. Grit is only necessary for grinding foods other than the mash that you will be using, such as leftover vegetables, scratch grains, and such. I would strongly recommend against feeding anything other than the starter feed for quite some time.

4. Finally, about how long will it take the chicks to come in??
FLA to NOLA then on to my local post office

Chicks usually take about 2 days to arrive. Be near a phone because the postmaster will call you first thing in the morning. It seems that the constant music of baby chicks drives postal workers a little crazy

Turn the brooder lights on now if you have not already done so.

Good luck.

Tim