They came a day early!

[Elaine06]

Agh! I'm new to chicks and my three came a day in the mail earlier than I expected. Its reading 84 degrees on my infrared thermometer under their heat plate. Is that warm enough?!? Air temp in the room is like 68F. I could set up a space heater I suppose.
I'm on my way to tractor supply so can pick up so can pick some supplies up if necessary. Will replace paper towels with wood shavings asap

 

[My Three Chicks]

Also FYI it’s recommended by a lot of experts to use paper towels for the 1st several days. It gives the babies better traction so they end up causing injury. You can swap out to bedding (not cedar) after a few days. I usually wait a week.

 

[NatJ]

I still feel like they aren't finding the water well.

You can put a few bright-colored glass marbles in the water. Chicks will usually peck the shiny marbles and get water in their beaks.

Basically, it's a way of making them dip their own beaks

If you don't have marbles, think of anything else that is small enough to go in the waterer, large enough they cannot get it in their mouth to choke, and will not dissolve in the water. Clean pebbles are another common choice.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Plates work via direct contact, there's no need to take a temperature reading under it. If it's warm/hot (but not burning) to the touch, then it's working as intended. Additional heat should not be provided.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You can use bedding right away but be aware that chicks may eat it. In which case grit should help with that. I've done both paper towels and assorted bedding (coarse aspen wood shavings, wood chips and other organic matter) and I think any of those work fine as long as you monitor how the chicks handle it.

 

[Elaine06]

What breeds did you get?? Meyer is great.

All one breed, silver lace Wyandotte

 

[Ridgerunner]

I went and got a lamp cause I am just a nervous newbie. Now I'm scared I'll fry them.

Have you ever been to a meeting or party where some people are too cold, some too warm, and some just right? Chicks and chickens are like that. Some like it cooler or warmer than others. I use a heat lamp instead of a heat plate or heating pad. I set it up so one area is kept plenty warm but other areas cool off quite a bit.

I've put chicks straight from the incubator into my 3' x 6' brooder in the coop. I keep the area right under the heat lamp quite warm but on freezing mornings the far corner might have ice in it. I find that very young chicks are really good at finding the amount of warmth that they want. Typically they stay in the warmer area the first two or three days but before long they are exploring and playing in the cooler areas, just returning to the warm area when they need to warm up. Mine also tend to sleep in the warm area. As mentioned you might have to show them where the warm area is but once they understand mine are really good about managing that themselves.

Nah, they can be a little slow to pick up on eating and drinking, especially if they're only 2-3 days old and still using up the last of their yolk.

I consider this an important point. Before they hatch the chicks absorb the yolk. They can live off of that for 72 hours or more if they have to wait on a later chick to hatch before the Mama hen takes them off of the nest for food or water. They can and do eat and drink some and sometimes a lot but they don't have to eat or drink much at first.

I understand people being really nervous at first, especially when they have not done this before. Sometimes there are reasons to be nervous but you learn as you go along.

I use a bowl as a waterer, typically a black rubber bowl you can get from Tractor Supply. I have used your type of waterer without pebbles of such but in my bowls I use small rocks. That way they can drink in the cracks and climb on them without getting soaking wet. In yours and mine they will poop in the water. There are certain dangerous microbes that can live in that poopy water. I strongly recommend you clean the poopy water in the drinking container at least once every two days. That way you interrupt the life cycle of those dangerous microbes. Personally I clean it daily because I find it gross but they should not get sick from it if you change it every two days. This does not apply to nipple waterers of course.

 

[Elaine06]

Have you ever been to a meeting or party where some people are too cold, some too warm, and some just right? Chicks and chickens are like that. Some like it cooler or warmer than others. I use a heat lamp instead of a heat plate or heating pad. I set it up so one area is kept plenty warm but other areas cool off quite a bit.

I've put chicks straight from the incubator into my 3' x 6' brooder in the coop. I keep the area right under the heat lamp quite warm but on freezing mornings the far corner might have ice in it. I find that very young chicks are really good at finding the amount of warmth that they want. Typically they stay in the warmer area the first two or three days but before long they are exploring and playing in the cooler areas, just returning to the warm area when they need to warm up. Mine also tend to sleep in the warm area. As mentioned you might have to show them where the warm area is but once they understand mine are really good about managing that themselves.


I consider this an important point. Before they hatch the chicks absorb the yolk. They can live off of that for 72 hours or more if they have to wait on a later chick to hatch before the Mama hen takes them off of the nest for food or water. They can and do eat and drink some and sometimes a lot but they don't have to eat or drink much at first.

I understand people being really nervous at first, especially when they have not done this before. Sometimes there are reasons to be nervous but you learn as you go along.

I use a bowl as a waterer, typically a black rubber bowl you can get from Tractor Supply. I have used your type of waterer without pebbles of such but in my bowls I use small rocks. That way they can drink in the cracks and climb on them without getting soaking wet. In yours and mine they will poop in the water. There are certain dangerous microbes that can live in that poopy water. I strongly recommend you clean the poopy water in the drinking container at least once every two days. That way you interrupt the life cycle of those dangerous microbes. Personally I clean it daily because I find it gross but they should not get sick from it if you change it every two days. This does not apply to nipple waterers of course.

Thank you so much for your input! I will clean and wash the water every time I clean out/refresh. I'm used to attempting to keep a duckling brooder clean so far i must say these chicks are clean little things! I am loving the differences between them already, its fun!

 

[Elaine06]

Heat plates are meant for older chicks not newly hatched id use a lamp

I mean the plate itself is like 116F, and they are pressing their backs against it. The towel below reads 84F. Isn't that similar to what people do when they use heating pads?

 

[Rose Quartz]

Do not use a space heater, they can give off fumes that will kill birds.