Spring 2017 first timers post!

[rainee63]

I had a little bantam egg pip out sometime last night or early this morning. I noticed it at 5am. It didn't make it tho. I came home from work at 1:30 and it was in the same position. No movement or anything. Idk why.

 

[Honora]

I had a little bantam egg pip out sometime last night or early this morning. I noticed it at 5am. It didn't make it tho. I came home from work at 1:30 and it was in the same position. No movement or anything. Idk why.

It still might make it. They can wait 24 hours after pipping before they start to zip.

 

[Suzanne Dunn]

So sorry for your loss. I think I am right there with you.

 

[bajabirdbrain]

Hi! Newbie joining the thread! Just picked up 5 chicks this morning. We were going to wait since we just sold our house and will be moving to our ranch, but decided to go ahead and jump in

We let our 4 year old pick which ones we brought home. Got a rhode island red, buff orpington, brown leghorn and two black giants :->

Seems as good a method of picking chicks as any. BB went by their photos and picked away! Regardless of your methods, have fun and enjoy them.

 

[Magnolia7330]

My chicks will be arriving next week. I also ordered grogel and a vital-pack to my order. Do I feed them the grogel and put the vital-pack in the water? If so, how much and for how long? I am getting 4 chicks. Also, I am using nipple waterers. Do I just touch their beak to the nipple so they know where to get the water from?

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

My chicks will be arriving next week. I also ordered grogel and a vital-pack to my order. Do I feed them the grogel and put the vital-pack in the water? If so, how much and for how long? I am getting 4 chicks. Also, I am using nipple waterers. Do I just touch their beak to the nipple so they know where to get the water from?

Not sure about the gro gel, I would have another water source though, I have a regular chick waterer and nipples, after 3 days only a couple of them use the nipples so far. I would want to be sure they get plenty of water at first as opposed to learning to use nipples.

Gary

 

[brunof399]

Hello All!

Just picked up our first 8 chickens yesterday. Everything seems to be going great but there is so much information to process. I thought by reading books and this forum, that I would be ready to go but was I ever wrong!

I have added Durvet Vitamins and Electrolytes and Durvet Probiotics to their water based on the recommendation from a gentleman at TSC and according to the direction on the bottles. Additionally, I am feeding them non-medicated crumbles. I just hope I am doing the right thing cause I found a blog which said that I should only be provided with regular water.

I am also nervous about adding a clump of sod from the yard. Is that a no-no if using non-medicated feed. Thanks in advance!!!!

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Hello All!

Just picked up our first 8 chickens yesterday. Everything seems to be going great but there is so much information to process. I thought by reading books and this forum, that I would be ready to go but was I ever wrong!

I have added Durvet Vitamins and Electrolytes and Durvet Probiotics to their water based on the recommendation from a gentleman at TSC and according to the direction on the bottles. Additionally, I am feeding them non-medicated crumbles. I just hope I am doing the right thing cause I found a blog which said that I should only be provided with regular water.

I am also nervous about adding a clump of sod from the yard. Is that a no-no if using non-medicated feed. Thanks in advance!!!!

Welcome to BYC

and welcome to our thread I just got mine this week too

Gary

PS, IDK about the sod, I am using medicated starter and put a big chunk of wetish sod with weeds and grass in yesterday, after they got brave enough to check it out they dug in and pecked away. There was a huge worm in it when I brought it in I do not know if they got it yet.

 

[Blooie]

I can't tell you what to do, of course, but I use the clump of sod and I feed non-medicated food. I didn't not use anything in their water - just plain old clean water. But that's what works for me and I know we each have our own comfort levels. After all, most people don't let them get dry out of the incubator and then put them outside to brood, either!

I use vertical nipples for the little tiny ones and then after a couple days I switch them to horizontals. I only have an open waterer available for the first 24 hours then it comes out. Showing one or two chicks is all it usually takes for them to get the hang of it.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I can't tell you what to do, of course, but I use the clump of sod and I feed non-medicated food. I didn't not use anything in their water - just plain old clean water. But that's what works for me and I know we each have our own comfort levels. After all, most people don't let them get dry out of the incubator and then put them outside to brood, either!

I use vertical nipples for the little tiny ones and then after a couple days I switch them to horizontals. I only have an open waterer available for the first 24 hours then it comes out. Showing one or two chicks is all it usually takes for them to get the hang of it.

Hmm, maybe I should take out the chick waterer and just leave the nipple waterer its day 5 for me. I put sod in yesterday I am brooding in the coop under a heat plate and they are happy and warm, already feathers are showing up on some. After all my research here the best thing I took from it was brood in coop!

Gary