Walk me through the next two weeks? Chicks hatching 1/19

[Carli]

I have my first batch of chicks hatching around 1/19 (next Wed.). Miss Broody has been doing a fabulous job setting. So what's next?

She's in one of two coop nesting boxes. The boxes are about 16-18 in. (?) above the coop floor. The feeder and waterer are inside about two feet and five feet away from where she's nesting. I have a brooder from two failed broody attempts. It's about 4x4x2 (3?), covered in chicken wire. Once the chicks hatch, should I move her and the babies to the brooder (and cover the sides with plastic to keep the draft out) so the other hens and rooster don't bother the chicks?

I know it isn't big enough to keep them in there until 8 weeks...but this will give me time to build them another area until they're old enough to be mixed with the rest of the flock.

On food: I want to give the chicks medicated feed since they won't be vaccinated but how do I keep mama eating what she needs and the chicks what they need?

Am I missing anything else?

 

[easttxchick]

Sounds like you have it pretty much covered.
As long as the babies aren't in an area where they can fall out of the box, they should be OK. It is a really good idea to keep mamma and babies away from the other birds for everyone involved.

You can put mamma's feeder up a bit higher so babies can't reach it with her layer pellets and corn or whatever you feed her. Make sure you put some marbles or pebbles in the rims of the waterer so babies don't drown.
I would try to make their area draft free since it's so darn cold outside.
Someone will come along with some other info, I'm sure.
Good luck with your hatch!

 

[Carli]

Quote:
Thanks! I am SOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!