ROOKY MISTAKE TO SHARE

[chickens really]

All I do is place my water font on bricks..No marbles used. Feed in a Dog bowl..Although I have the pleasure of the Broody Momma to care for the Chicks..Chicks are actually tough little things..

 

[sadieml]

barbu d'Uccle hens make AWESOME moms...I think they're STUCK on broody setting. Honestly, except for their tiny size, they are the ideal broody hens;also, the most incredible lap-birds--VERY affectionate!

Oh, and I agree food and water should be 24/7 at least the first 4 to 6 weeks (at least as long as they're under heat-lamps). After that, integrate them into the adult community.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I would save the expense of an incubator and get yourself a couple of broody hens to hatch chicks.... something like a bantam pekin (cochin) or silkie. Granted there is no guarantee they will go broody but with those breeds there are good odds of it and lots of pleasure from keeping them and even more from watching them hatch and rear chicks. The down side is that it is a lottery as to when they will go broody, but that is part of the fun. Nothing better than watching an enthusiastic broody teaching her chicks to dust bath.... it's hilarious!

Of course, if you are going to hatch, regardless of method, you need to have a plan for the surplus cockerels that will result.

My favorite method! Of course if you let the broodies raise their own eggs, you soon get a new generation of broodies and then your farm/backyard is gradually taken over...

Also, love bantam cochins, but they need a bit of an eye kept on them, as they love to hatch eggs but are sort of bad at rearing chicks.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Also, Welcome to BYC!

 

[Blooie]

I put incubator that’s the same thing as a brooder right?

Welcome to BYC! No, an incubator and a brooder are two different critters. An incubator is where eggs are put to develop and hatch. A brooder is the area where hatched (or shipped) chicks are raised for the first few weeks. It's a good question, and one that has come up before. In the beginning of a new chicken adventure, some of the terminology can sure get confusing! I had the worst time with a few terms myself - coop and nesting box threw me off for the longest time!

A brooder can be as simple as a couple of cardboard boxes taped to together or as elaborate as a permanent built-in area of a coop. You just need food, water, and a heat source.

I also use nipple waterers for chicks. I start with vertical and once I know they understand the concept and can activate the mechanism I change over to horizontal. I'd tend to agree with others....it could well be chilling that took your other chicks, rather than access to food and water. Most folks who brood chicks leave both available at all times. I left it out too, but since my way of raising chicks is radically different than the norm, it was a non-issue....mine go to bed a sundown and sleep all night until sunrise.

So glad you shared your experience here! It and the responses are sure to help other folks!

 

[AlleysChicks]

I’ve never lost chicks in the brooder. I leave water and food 24/7. I use shavings or straw for bedding in plastic totes. Never had a problem.

Wonder if the towel wicked the water and the chicks got chilled?

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I’ve never lost chicks in the brooder. I leave water and food 24/7. I use shavings or straw for bedding in plastic totes. Never had a problem.

Wonder if the towel wicked the water and the chicks got chilled?

That's a really good thought. Water soaked into a towel would increase it's surface area and evaporation, which sucks a lot of heat out.

 

[NNYchick]

Rookie here to try to avoid mistakes.

 

[debid]

It's sort of like how the rooster crowing at sunrise doesn't actually cause the sun to rise. Just because you removed the food and water for much of the day and the deaths stopped, that doesn't mean having food and water available was the cause of them dying. I hope that you'll do some more reading. There are lots of great books and articles about raising chicks.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Good temperature range in the brooder is key. Warm spot and room temp cool off area are equally important.

I run a rod of some kind, dowel etc, over the brooder box. Use standard plastic waterer but the kind with the little handle on top. Add Zip ties to hang at chick chest height. Slide a few zips tighter pretty much daily cause the little buggers grow so fast. I do put something underneath to minimize swing and spillage when a chick tries to roost. Upside down cool whip tub. Things like that. Whatever fits well. Rarely need to change water more than once a day with this set up as long as you keep raising the water.