Water source for chicks

I made a vertical nipple bucket for mine at 3 weeks. But the local feed store uses them for day old chicks. Mine figured it out right away. I love it.....water stays perfectly clean.
Here's a video of a couple of them at 6 wks using the bucket....
 
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I just found 3 chicks w/ one of my hens. "Surprise !"
The nest box is @2ft. off the ground. I leaned a wood ladder to the box for the chicks (since they were able to jump down); I figure they can run up the short wood ladder ?
Do I still give them chick feed ? They can't reach the water- is tomorrow ok ?
Do I give them Electrolytes ?
I "don't let them hatch eggs this was an Oops !" I don't do "Chicks !"
Chicks are a hassle- special feed- having them separate- trying to integrate them w/ the older birds. This was "my Last chick"; I just lost my Billy Bird last night.
She was 11 yrs & 4 mths to the day. Hatched 6-6-06 Passed 10-6-17 Billie 11 yrs 6-6-06.jpg
 
I just found 3 chicks w/ one of my hens. "Surprise !"
The nest box is @2ft. off the ground. I leaned a wood ladder to the box for the chicks (since they were able to jump down); I figure they can run up the short wood ladder ?
Do I still give them chick feed ? They can't reach the water- is tomorrow ok ?
Do I give them Electrolytes ?
I "don't let them hatch eggs this was an Oops !" I don't do "Chicks !"
Chicks are a hassle- special feed- having them separate- trying to integrate them w/ the older birds. This was "my Last chick"; I just lost my Billy Bird last night.
She was 11 yrs & 4 mths to the day. Hatched 6-6-06 Passed 10-6-17View attachment 1155212

Sorry about your hen but it looks like she had a long life. :hugs Don't worry about integrating or separating them, mom will take care of everything. I always raise my chicks with the flock. You do need a higher protein for the chicks, I just use flock raiser in my feeders with oyster shell offered in a different dish for the layers. Curious, why can't they reach the water? What system are you using? I'm not sure if the chicks will be able to use the ladder to an upper nest, I have never had great luck with my broodies in an upper nest. I worry too much about the chicks falling out or not getting back up there. I move mom and babies to a floor nest after the chicks hatch to make everything simple. I fence them off for 1 day just to let mom and babies settle in. On the second day, she has them outside with the rest of the flock. I do not use electrolytes. Congratulations on the new flock members!
 
Yes chicks can use nipples. Lever style cups, though, can be more challenging fur them in the first weeks due to their lesser strength than a larger bird
 

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