Research and preparation for this first time chicken mama!

[SweeneyFamJamFarm]

Hello,

Our family is very excited to FINALLY be growing, with the addition of backyard chickens!
We have chicks arriving at the beginning of May, and are taking this time to make sure we are best prepared for the success of raising healthy, and happy chickens from the get go.. while also being prepared for any unfortunate or unforeseeable challenges that may arise. So, what I am seeking from this wonderful, experienced community is what type of feeder and watering unit would be best for 10 babies? Also, any advice on the best feeding and watering care for the first weeks of its life would be more than welcome!

Thank you all so much in advance, and I hope you and yours are all well and safe through this time of crisis.
Cheers,
The SweeneyFamJamFarm from Canada

 

[rosemarythyme]

For chicks, I try to keep it simple because they're going to outgrow the feeder/waterer quickly.

Any of these sort of feeders will do:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/miller-manufacturing-1-quart-baby-chick-feeder.11558/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/12-plastic-poultry-feeder.11684/

I've even used small paper plates or small ceramic bowls.

For water:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/plastic-1-quart-jar-waterer.11310/

 

[SweeneyFamJamFarm]

For chicks, I try to keep it simple because they're going to outgrow the feeder/waterer quickly.

Any of these sort of feeders will do:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/miller-manufacturing-1-quart-baby-chick-feeder.11558/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/12-plastic-poultry-feeder.11684/

I've even used small paper plates or small ceramic bowls.

For water:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/plastic-1-quart-jar-waterer.11310/

Thank you so very much for the direction RoseMaryThyme!
I've ordered a liquid multivitamin, purchased Skim Milk Powder, and will be making some fermented feed for the chicks.. my next concern is prebiotics.. there is so much conflicting information about options! I need to be mindful of budget, so I have heard a plain yogurt in a VERY tiny quantity can go along way.
Do you have any recommendations?

Thanks in advance!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I try to keep things simple - right after I pick up chicks I give them some form of supplement, either a powdered vitamin, electrolyte, probiotics mix or similar liquid equivalent. That's to help them get over the stress of shipping/being brought into a new home.

After a week or so, they get plain water, and that's it.

I do ferment feed but mine is simply water + feed, nothing else added.

If any chicken requires some sort of special treatment then I'll supplement their water/diet on a case by case basis.

Also (not 100% sure on this) I don't think chickens can digest dairy properly. I know some people like giving them cheese or yogurt but I have not tried it myself.

 

[MLG1900]

I have raised chicks a few times. They were either hatched myself or bought as day olds at the feed store. I buy the basic chick feeders and waterers that attach to mason jars. I like to raise them one a little brick or scrap piece of 2x4, turned over bowl, anything will do to keep them above the pine shavings. Otherwise, they get dumped alot and the shavings get kicked into the water. I don't do anything extra. The food I like to use to start my chicks is medicated and has probiotics and prebiotics already mixed in. Some people prefer not to medicate, but I have had friends say their chicks appear healthier and less loss with medicated vs non medicated. I like check on them at least 2 to 3 times a day. Always look for pasty butt the first week or so, and definitely get a thermometer in the brooder to help track your temps (too hot or too cold)
https://www.amazon.com/Purina-Anima...k+starter&qid=1586431146&s=hpc&sr=1-7-catcorr

 

[SweeneyFamJamFarm]

I try to keep things simple - right after I pick up chicks I give them some form of supplement, either a powdered vitamin, electrolyte, probiotics mix or similar liquid equivalent. That's to help them get over the stress of shipping/being brought into a new home.

After a week or so, they get plain water, and that's it.

I do ferment feed but mine is simply water + feed, nothing else added.

If any chicken requires some sort of special treatment then I'll supplement their water/diet on a case by case basis.

Also (not 100% sure on this) I don't think chickens can digest dairy properly. I know some people like giving them cheese or yogurt but I have not tried it myself.

Thank you so very much! I have a liquid multivitamin, and skim milk powder (recommended by the farmer we are purchasing from) that I will add to their water for the first week or so. It's reassuring hearing from experienced chick raisers like yourself! There's so much conflicting information on the web!! I am not going give any dairy, as you echoed what the breeder advised as well

 

[SweeneyFamJamFarm]

I have raised chicks a few times. They were either hatched myself or bought as day olds at the feed store. I buy the basic chick feeders and waterers that attach to mason jars. I like to raise them one a little brick or scrap piece of 2x4, turned over bowl, anything will do to keep them above the pine shavings. Otherwise, they get dumped alot and the shavings get kicked into the water. I don't do anything extra. The food I like to use to start my chicks is medicated and has probiotics and prebiotics already mixed in. Some people prefer not to medicate, but I have had friends say their chicks appear healthier and less loss with medicated vs non medicated. I like check on them at least 2 to 3 times a day. Always look for pasty butt the first week or so, and definitely get a thermometer in the brooder to help track your temps (too hot or too cold)
https://www.amazon.com/Purina-Anima...k+starter&qid=1586431146&s=hpc&sr=1-7-catcorr

Hello, and thank you for responding to me!
I just picked up the galvanized metal basic chick feeders and waterers with the intention of using one of my (many) mason jars! Thank you for the advice on placing on top of a brick or scrap 2x4 piece.. I hadn't thought of that, but will certainly add it to the brooder. The food I ordered for the chicks is highly recommended through my local TSC store :
25KG ROLLING ACRES CHICK STARTER POULTRY FEED
An excellent crumbilized starter to encourage early growth.

Product Features
• Balanced amino acids
• Includes high levels of vitamins and minerals
• All vegetable protein and fat sources

I will definitely be checking in on the babies a number of times throughout the day! And have been educating myself on various possible ailments, like pasty butt, so I know what to check for and how to intervene as quickly as possible, to minimize the risk of losing any chicks! We have an unused baby video monitor that has a built in thermometer that we are also planning to set up for the brooder, but I have also ordered a thermometer to have in there and manually check often.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I recommend having a first aid kit. You can google for some excellent blog posts on the proper contents or there may be a BYC article on it. In mine I have Corrid, a coccidiosis treatment; antibiotic ointment; trauma pads (for bandages); vet wrap (for wrapping/adhering the trauma pad); syringe for eye washing; and a saline solution. Those are the things you wish you had on hand in the event of an unexpected injury or coccidiosis which happens and progresses quickly.

As for the skim milk powder, that might be a bit of an old school recommendation, but the idea makes sense in terms of providing an extra bump in nourishment. Honestly if you’re getting chicks straight from the farmer, they don’t really need anything added to their water. Not like dehydrated and exhausted chicks that were shipped in the mail, but again, the addition shouldn’t hurt.

I agree with @rosemarythyme about fermenting. Just water + feed, let it sit for 24 hours or until a couple bubbles are starting to form. There’s been a lot of research even in the commercial poultry industry that fermented feed (because of the probiotics) do strengthen the immune system. I’m lazy and have only done this maybe three times (each time when I’ve been giving one them antibiotics), and my flock seems healthy.

 

[jreardon1918]

I wish you well on this new adventure. A few things we have learned in 3+ years. And I will qualify the advice with a note that YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary).

- Chick Feeder, we use a starter chick feeder and elevate it ASAP. That helps to prevent the chicks climbing on and in it. There is a decent amount of waste.
- water hang ASAP. That gets it less impacted by scratching bedding in.
- consider horizontal nipple waters ASAP. That keeps the water nice and clean. We switched the chicks to HN at 3 weeks.
- Build the coop and run prior to getting the chicks. The coop design should be functional, have plenty of ventilation. I think you are north of us, so advice on winter is worth considering now. Most advice will come down on the side of no heat in the coop. (I agree). Keeping the water stations liquid is doable.
- The full grown hens (roos) will spend a great deal of time in the run or free ranging. So it is as important to plan for this as the coop.
- Brooding. Assuming you get the coop in place prior to the chicks arrival, consider brooding in the coop or run. And definitely consider the Momma Heating rather than using a heat lamp, Brooding in the house is rather messy. I did a quick brooding article for our second round of chicks. That was very successful. Brooder in covered run - Updated 7/11 Six weeks

Lastly, there are many people on this site with far more experience than I. They helped us be pretty successful. And they do it without ever presenting an invoice. Good luck.