Raising Baby Chicks - Notable Topic Index - Please Review

[retoid]

Thanks again for the reply, I really appreciate all of your help.
I've managed to get the temp to stay closer to 95F by placing a cover over half of the box. (see image below)

Hard to see at this angle but it's reading 95F.

I hope it is alright to pick the chicks up every now and again at this early age, they don't seem to scared of my hand
popping down in the brooder and they just sit in my hand calmly while holding them. I want them to be used to me.
Which is another reason I chose to get Americaunas.

Thanks again.

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

Hurray for finding a good answer! Most folks on the forum pick up the babies often to socialize them with humans. Some say not to for the 1st 3 days...well, I only saw that once. You are doing great! The are cute too. Just a heads up, they grow fast, so you will need a bigger box very soon. Thank you for sharing!

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

Quote:
Welcome! Yes, egg production by the broody hen stops until after she stops being broody and her body gets back to normal. Have you seen the "how to break a broody" thread?

 

[retoid]

Quote:
Great, I believe the chicks were about 3 days old when I bought them, which was yesterday. Thanks for the tip on a larger brooder. I plan on building up a new larger one today after work.

Bryan

 

[Ema]

Wow thanks for all the info, I appreciate you posting this. Answers a lot of questions I have been having lately. :-D

 

[virghum]

hello, i am new like many of u and i am having a great time watching them grow, just wondering how u can tell the gender? I think they r about 6 weeks old.

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

The most certain way I know of is to wait until the cockerels start crowing. You can also take pictures and post them on the what breed or gender is this section (https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=15). You might get some input there. The other thing to do is to some searches. Here's an old thread where folks are tossing around opinions and ideas on how to tell gender: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=36320. Now, I wouldn't suggest this in a non-family forum, but this is a family forum and if you do a search on "sex" you will get back threads talking about how to "sex" the chicken or tell the gender. They might give you some ideas as well.

Good luck!

 

[oesdog]

Hi I am new and struggling to use this forum never having done it before or raised chicks!
I have two chicks in the brooder the only survivors from the Incubator. We had to help both hatch and all other chicks died in shells.
The weaker chick Omelette took 12 hrs to move and we only knew he was alive because his little tummy moved up and down. Now he is running about the brood box with the other chick Blue. But he still would simply fall over asleep werever he is including head first in the food or water bowl! He was born 7th june and Blue 6th June. Weve had to pick food and hay out of his face. One of his little eyes is gooy were he got hay stuck in it. Any ideas on how to help the wee man ( Oh sorry I don;t know if they are boys or girlies yet!) These are our first chicks we also have 4 outside with a hen doing great.

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

Welcome.

So sorry to hear about the ones that didn't make it out of their shells. One thing to do is put marbles or small rocks in the waterer so if it falls asleep there it doesn't drown. The rest of your issues - incubation not hatching well, gooey eye and weak chick are outside my experience. I don't think many folks are reading this thread, so you might try doing some forum searches for old threads with similar subjects that have info or posting new questions. Good luck. If you need help searching the forum, let me know.

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

Most folks only give the tiny chicks small amounts of treats and usually only oatmeal and yogurt and scrambled eggs and often only after a week or so. When they get bigger, you can add more scraps in, but the balanced diet issue is a concern. Protein needs added for sure if you give lots of scraps.