The chicks hatched early!

[Paz]

My chicks just hatched. Day 18. And I haven’t prepared their baby coop yet. I don’t have heating lamps, I don’t have baby food, I don’t have baby waterer. Will putting them in a cardboard box with the brooder heater be ok? I threw some rice and sesame and lentils in an ice cream paper cup. I poured some water in a small ceramic bowl. Will they be ok?
There’s a holiday over here and everything’s closed until Tuesday.
They’re Arabi chicks. And it’s 25c degrees outside.

 

[Potatofluffycheeksforever]

I think it should be fine as long as you show them with your finger how to eat and drink!

 

[Canadian Wind]

What breed?

In any case, most chicks will use up their reserves from the yolk and not need anything for the first day, sometimes two. It's one of the reasons hatcheries mail them out at this age.

If you can, grind up the food to a finer texture, and if you have baby grit, offer that as they will need it to process the food since it isn't crumbles (which doesn't need grit). Toss a bit of food on the floor of the box or brooder, their instincts will kick in to peck at it.

 

[Paz]

What breed?

In any case, most chicks will use up their reserves from the yolk and not need anything for the first day, sometimes two. It's one of the reasons hatcheries mail them out at this age.

If you can, grind up the food to a finer texture, and if you have baby grit, offer that as they will need it to process the food since it isn't crumbles (which doesn't need grit). Toss a bit of food on the floor of the box or brooder, their instincts will kick in to peck at it.

The breed is Arabi Locals.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Just looked them up, interesting. You should still offer a bit more heat, but with an area that is not as warm so they can move if they find themselves too warm. Also, the paper towel crumpled up like that should be smoothed out. Do you have a large storage bin you can use as a temporary brooder?

 

[Ridgerunner]

My chicks just hatched. Day 18.

Sounds like your incubator is running a little warm. You might want to calibrate it before your next hatch.

And I haven’t prepared their baby coop yet. I don’t have heating lamps, I don’t have baby food, I don’t have baby waterer.

Hopefully lesson learned but rest assured, you are not the only person that has been caught like this. You can get through it.

Will putting them in a cardboard box with the brooder heater be ok?

The cardboard box will be fine, larger is better. I don't know what your brooder heater looks like. What you need is a place warm enough in one spot while they can get away from the heat if it gets too warm. Too hot is as dangerous as too cold. 25 C (77 F) is probably a bit cool though not a lot. If you could raise the temperature in one spot in that box by 6 or 7 C you'd be in good shape.

I threw some rice and sesame and lentils in an ice cream paper cup. I poured some water in a small ceramic bowl. Will they be ok?

They typically don't have to eat or drink for 72 hours after they hatch if they absorb the yolk like they are supposed to. It doesn't hurt them to eat or drink earlier, if they will, but it's not necessary. They don't always want to.

Was that food cooked so it was soft? If so, they should be fine. If it was uncooked they should have grit in their gizzard to help grind it up. Grit is bits of rock that they eat. They can pick that out of dirt or larger grains of sand can work.

You might dip their beak in that water to show them where water is. Usually if one figures it out the others learn by watching them drink.

 

[Paz]

Just looked them up, interesting. You should still offer a bit more heat, but with an area that is not as warm so they can move if they find themselves too warm. Also, the paper towel crumpled up like that should be smoothed out. Do you have a large storage bin you can use as a temporary brooder?

I put the brooder top on one side of the box, and they can walk to the other side, where the food and water is. I want to give them some hay to be in, I can get it from my neighbors.

 

[Paz]

That the arrangement for now

 

[Paz]

Ok, update if anyone is interested:
The chicks are doing great, I got them an old 60 wats lamp and put in in a ceramic thing so they have a warm place to go to, their crate is ready, they were eating the rice and other seeds I gave them up until now.
One of them is a boy chick, says my 93 year old grandfather, I'm not too sure he's right, he WAS wrong with my cockerel.
They're active and healthy.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Glad to hear they're doing well, good thinking on the makeshift brooder!