Saved 3 Dyed Chicks - Now What?????!!!!!!!!!

[Duck-Madx]

Ok.
Thanks For The Great Help everyone, and '4H kids and mom' that excellent list, ive printed to help me get the right stuff tommorow.
I had remembered whilst searching on google for local farms etc to me, i used to know someone nearby who had chickens.
I easily found her number quickly, and she arrived here about half an hour ago.
Thanks To her, I have some chick starter which will last for a few days i guess, and she's helped me set up a 'makeshift' brooder for the chicks.
Its On My desk, with a 60W lamp pointing in on one half, thankyou again 4H kids and mom!

At The momment the only bedding i have is a few warm sheets, and i have just used a small old cat bowl for water, and my friend gave me a feeder for the chick starter.
Is This Ok For My chicks for the night? I dont have a Thermometer yet, but i have a room temperature reader in my house, reading temperature of room...
southernchick, I love The pictures, a great help. I will look out for a container like that tommorow.

I keep feeling very worried that im doing something wrong, now my dear friend has gone.
Is There any other things I should know, for night etc???

 

[pegbo]

If you have a corn bag warm it up in microwave and put in with chicks. Also a regular light bulb will work just make sure the chicks can't touch it. Cornmeal will work and maybe oatmeal [cooked or uncooked] until you can get some feed. Lots of water and love will do it. Just make sure the box is big enough for three and their heat source is safe. Hope this helps!

 

[zimmy]

Well, keep the light on : D

 

[MTchick]

If your brooder (shoebox) is the right temperature, the chicks will be calmly making little noises, walking around, sleeping in various spots in the box. If it is too cold, they will be loud and sleeping in a pile right under the light.

At night- keep the light on and check their water. If the water dish is deeper than an inch, you might put something in it (like big pebbles or marbles) to keep them from falling in and drowning. You could give them a little bit of finely chopped cooked whole grain rice, or some fine corn meal, as a bit of food before you get chick starter on Monday.

Good luck

MTchick

 

[KrisRose]

Duck MadX- there are people from England here but I don't think many. Why don't you try to go to Pratical Poultry forum (practicalpoultry.com)?? I have lurk there a few times and it is a nice forum. PP is located in the UK and please don't take this personal BUT,( after reading the PP magazine )I've come to the conclusion that the folks in England are crazier about chickens than Americans. I'm sure you would find someone close that would help you.
If you don't have a heat lamp to keep them warm then use your body heat. Yuck is right but you are washable!! We have feed our 3 week old chicks boiled egg, canned carrots and a few nibbles of soft bread as treats. Other folks give their chicks yogurt as a treat. The important thing to remember is there is probably no grit in their crop(croup?) so you will want to feed something soft to tide them over till you get chick feed.
I can't believe that chicks are still sold as easter pets!! I haven't seen dyed chicks since the 60's when I was a little kid.

 

[Duck-Madx]

I thought Chicks where settling in well, but ive been noticing that they dont seem too keen on eating.
This is kinda worrying.
Ive even picked them up and put by their feeder, but they make those little chirping sounds and walk away.

I can't think of any reason for this(Im not exactly a chicken expert).
Maybe they arent too used too the feeder or something????


The Chicks also seem pretty friendly, and are constantly asking me for attention. Its quite hard for me to leave them, without them making a hassle.
Does anyone know when the dye will probably start to fade? Im guessing of course it will be when their real feathers start to grow.
Do They grow as quickly as ducklings?

 

[Llysse]

If they don't seem interested in eating, you might want to check them for "pasty butt." That happens when they've had poop that gets matted or cemented in and around their vent area making it difficult and eventually impossible for them to eliminate.

If they have pasty butt, you can soften it with a warm, wet rag, and then try to remove it without hurting the chick too much. Since it sticks to their down, it can cause them a little distress, which is why you try to soften it or dissolve it first. It has to come off so they can be healthy. Hopefully, if they have pasty butt, it's just on the outside.

Luckily, it sounds like your little chickies like being held by you, which is a real plus when you're trying to help them with something like this. Sometimes it takes a while to bond, but it sounds like yours have taken right to you. I'm glad you saved them from a life with people who wouldn't be m,aking the efforts you are.

If its not pasty butt, I'm not sure what it is. Sometimes it's easier for chicks to find their food at first when you put it on a paper plate and peck at it with your finger, but I'd think that if they were at the Pet Store they'd know how to eat by now. The sheets will actually be fine for bedding (although certainly a PITA for you to clean up) until you can get pine shavings in a day or two. You're right that't they'll probably stay dyed until their adult feathers come in.

Again, I'm so glad you saved them.

 

[Chickens-246]

My newborn Silkies don't seem to like the feeder, but if I put some on the floor, it's gone in minutes. I also need to crush the chick starter smaller so they can eat it.

 

[4H kids and mom]

thankyou again 4H kids and mom!

You are very welcome! And good job for saving those dyed babies from the torturing hands of a preschooler! As far as when the dye will fade, it will be several weeks. About 2 weeks old and their wing feathers are most the way in. At about 4 weeks, they have all their wing feathers, some tail feathers, and are beginning to get body feathers. By 6 weeks they will be mostly feathered, but the edges of their feathers will most likely still contain some tinging of the dye.​

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Quote:
I also have dyed Easter chicks. The dye doesn't fade, it just gets replaced when the real feathers come in.
Here they are at 2 weeks old:

and today at 2 1/2 (roughly) weeks old. The shoulder and tail feathers are beginning to come in:

good luck with your chickies!