Waterer & Roo's

[Watermelon_Gypsy]

Hello all you lovelies! Our little babies are 2 weeks old now & SO much fun! I'm wondering though - how in the world do you all keep their water clean? They are in a 45 gal plastic tub at the moment with cedar shavings & I'm cleaning out the waterer probably 4 or 5 times a day b/c they soak the little trough with the shavings - is this normal or am I doing something wrong?

Also - about how old are they when you can start to guess if one might be a roo? Or do I just wait until one starts crowing?

 

[CCourson05]

1. Raising the waterer helps a little.
2. I use a nipple waterer... Search it in the search bar... Works wonders...
3. Cedar shavings can kill chicks. I would switch to pine.
4. As for age, depends on the breed, really.

 

[sadies chicks]

I use pine nuggets and it keeps their water much cleaner than the shavings and YES switch to pine, the chicks eat the shavings and cedar is very harmful to them. Also raising the water to the level of their backs will help keep them from kicking stuff in. Good luck!!

 

[Watermelon_Gypsy]

I just went & looked & it's pine shavings, not cedar! Whew!

I don't know why I thought cedar, but had a mini heart attack there for a moment.

I'm going to go search nipple waterer, and for now raise it a bit. I had thought of raising it but wasn't sure if I should or not.

Thanks so much you guys!!

 

[sadies chicks]

Quote:
Great! Crisis averted!

 

[CCourson05]

WOO!

And no problem! It is what we are for... We can't know everything singly, but together, we make chicken raising easy!

 

[Watermelon_Gypsy]

You guys are great!

It really does help to have somewhere to go when you have a few questions - we have had SO much fun with these little ones - I've been avoiding the catalogs & 1 store I buy from, knowing if I go in or go look more chickies will come home lol

 

[CCourson05]

To avoid getting more chicks, my hens would have to stop laying, as I am addicted to incubating...

 

[Watermelon_Gypsy]

oohhh I can only imagine!! I have a friend who raises quail from eggs - it is SO much fun watching the process. No doubt I will find myself there in time lol

I do have another question though - if your still reading. I've looked around/called around to most of the local pet stores & feed stores in my area looking for chick grit & no one carries it. Can I just get very fine sand to give them, or? I'm wanting to get them ready for treats & from what I understand it helps develop their gizzards - just feeling a bit stumped on what's safe to give them & a bit suprised that none of the stores I've called has it.

 

[sadies chicks]

My husband and I had to pick up baby geese, ducks and turkeys for his parents "farm" and we babysat for the afternoon. I am thinking of adopting....