They came a day early!

[My Three Chicks]

What breeds did you get?? Meyer is great.

 

[Elaine06]

A lot of people do suggest using a lamp when chicks first arrive, but after a day or two they really do need a warm and cool area so they can decide for themselves where they're most comfortable. Like today was a warm 67F, my 1-week-old chicks barely touched their heating pad all day. They simply didn't need it.

It won't hurt to dip their beaks in the water again if they don't seem to be drinking well.

Well the will peck droplets off my fingers just fine, and also they loooooooved eating some mash. So idk. I dip the beaks and they just give me a "wtf" look. Haha. I will try again in the morning I guess.

A lot of people do suggest using a lamp when chicks first arrive, but after a day or two they really do need a warm and cool area so they can decide for themselves where they're most comfortable. Like today was a warm 67F, my 1-week-old chicks barely touched their heating pad all day. They simply didn't need it.

It won't hurt to dip their beaks in the water again if they don't seem to be drinking well.

I guess I am just used to ducklings. Man you dip those beaks and they are go time ready. Or maybe they just need a shallower dish or the dish more at chest height? Idk.
I will observe them a lot tomorrow to make sure they're doing alright and then try again with the heat plate, I really do prefer it to a lamp already.

 

[Elaine06]

What breeds did you get?? Meyer is great.

All one breed, silver lace Wyandotte

 

[rosemarythyme]

I guess I am just used to ducklings. Man you dip those beaks and they are go time ready. Or maybe they just need a shallower dish or the dish more at chest height? Idk.
I will observe them a lot tomorrow to make sure they're doing alright and then try again with the heat plate, I really do prefer it to a lamp already.

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. With my chicks this year, since I didn't see them drink or eat to my satisfaction on day 1, I made sure to encourage them to do both on day 2 (dipping beak in water, tapping on the food dish) and once I saw all of them eating and drinking then I stopped worrying about it.

I'm doing something of a brood along thread so maybe it'll help you with some decision making as you go along, since my chicks are barely older than yours: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...egrate-along-from-feed-store-to-coop.1617102/

 

[Elaine06]

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. With my chicks this year, since I didn't see them drink or eat to my satisfaction on day 1, I made sure to encourage them to do both on day 2 (dipping beak in water, tapping on the food dish) and once I saw all of them eating and drinking then I stopped worrying about it.

I'm doing something of a brood along thread so maybe it'll help you with some decision making as you go along, since my chicks are barely older than yours: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...egrate-along-from-feed-store-to-coop.1617102/

Thanks so much!

 

[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.

 

[Elaine06]

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.

Thanks, I have something like that and I'll sit with them a bit today just to make sure. They seemed quite chipper and happy this morning

 

[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]

So I had to clean off some hard dried poo from my smallest chicks vent. And I feel like her vent top lip "pokes out" more than it should? She has had some poop accumulation that I've been combating. Is this ok? The other chicks vents are like 'innie" bellybuttons, and this one cause of the poor looks more like an "outie" belly button if that makes sense. Anyway I am feeding them some cornmeal and electrolyte water as well as regular water and keeping an eye on it. Her fluff is wet with some olive oil i put on there to help prevent build-up