They’re here!

[Fur-N-Fowl]

Ah right Well I’ll get one from there anyways so I have one they can always change it when they come back from their holiday and I wonder if they do the training mats in home bargains?!? I’ll have a look and I won’t buy the solution unless I see symptoms then thanks!

No problem!

Yes I believe they do and they aren't overly priced either

Like someone else also mentioned, I would just use the plain chick starter crumb, not medicated. Not many shops around me sell medicated anyways (apart from one livestock shop) but I've always just used plain chick starter crumb!

It does the job and you only have them on a temporary basis anyways. As long as the brooder, drinker and feeders are kept clean and dry they should be fine.

First time looking after chicks can be worrying but just enjoy the experience! If you ever need any help, everyone here is always happy to help

 

[aart]

They only need a decent chick starter and plain water.

Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:

They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
-If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
-If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
-If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. If you do use a heat bulb make sure it's specifically for poultry, some heat bulbs for food have teflon coatings that can kill birds. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.

 

[MROO]

Wait. So you're only taking care of these chicks and once your uncle return, he'll take them back? If so, it's HIS responsibility to provide all the necessities for HIS birds, why are you spending money out of your own pocket and taking care of them? He should be the one paying you!

Be sure to read this in a whisper ... "Shhhhh! Don't scare her off ... we're developing a new convert here! ... She's gonna need that new waterer for her own chicks ..."

 

[DollBoll]

Wait. So you're only taking care of these chicks and once your uncle return, he'll take them back? If so, it's HIS responsibility to provide all the necessities for HIS birds, why are you spending money out of your own pocket and taking care of them? He should be the one paying you!

I know but they are as inexperienced as I am and they don’t have the great guidance of BYC like I do so if I can correct them I will and they can get them through the rest also I’m getting the light fixture once they’re finished with it for my tortoise lamp so if I have to spend a few quid to help them out I will

 

[DollBoll]

Maybe it's hard to tell from the angle of the picture but I would recommend moving the heat lamp to one end rather than in the middle of the brooder. The heat lamp should be at one end with the food and water at the other end, so they can get away from the heat if they need to.

Yes it’s at the end and I’ve moved the food and water to the opposite end as I’ve heard they can get lazy

 

[DollBoll]

Yes sorry, my point wasn’t to say treat them right away, only if they showed symptoms.

Also, Do Not give silkies medicated chick feed. I’m unsure of Pekin but if silkies get medicated chick feed it can end up causing wry neck due to the excessive nutrients. I had a huge issue with my first batch of silkies getting wry neck, but once I switched their feed they did much better and no more getting wry neck.

I don’t think they’re silkies but what is wry neck because my adult silkie is always poking her neck and looking like she’s trying to throw up I call it borking but I think that’s just slang from where I’m from and if that’s what it is how do I stop it she looks as though shes got something stuck in her throat and is trying to get it out if that gives you an idea of the motion she does? This was helpful by the way thank you

 

[DollBoll]

They only need a decent chick starter and plain water.

Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:

They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
-If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
-If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
-If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. If you do use a heat bulb make sure it's specifically for poultry, some heat bulbs for food have teflon coatings that can kill birds. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.

This is super helpful thank you and it sounds as though these chicks are juuuuuusssst right which makes me happy to know and the food and water are at the opposite side to the light

 

[DollBoll]

Be sure to read this in a whisper ... "Shhhhh! Don't scare her off ... we're developing a new convert here! ... She's gonna need that new waterer for her own chicks ..."

Hahaha yes if I ever get my own hatching eggs I will definitely inherit all of his old equipment

 

[DollBoll]

No problem!

Yes I believe they do and they aren't overly priced either

Like someone else also mentioned, I would just use the plain chick starter crumb, not medicated. Not many shops around me sell medicated anyways (apart from one livestock shop) but I've always just used plain chick starter crumb!

It does the job and you only have them on a temporary basis anyways. As long as the brooder, drinker and feeders are kept clean and dry they should be fine.

First time looking after chicks can be worrying but just enjoy the experience! If you ever need any help, everyone here is always happy to help

Yes and I love that thank you and thank you to everyone else too!

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

I don’t think they’re silkies but what is wry neck because my adult silkie is always poking her neck and looking like she’s trying to throw up I call it borking but I think that’s just slang from where I’m from and if that’s what it is how do I stop it she looks as though shes got something stuck in her throat and is trying to get it out if that gives you an idea of the motion she does? This was helpful by the way thank you

Is your Silkie doing this by any chance?