What should I expect?

[cbader]

Now that my eggs are hatching, what can I expect over the first couple of days? How much energy should they be showing?

 

[purpletree23]

Are they in a brooder or under a hen?

 

[cbader]

In a brooder.

 

[abooth]

Watch out for poop drying over their vents. This can kill them. I have had to wipe two little butts tonight.

 

[poupoule]

Do you still have to do that if they are under a hen?

 

[citrusdreams]

Quote:
I never watch over them when they're with a hen. That's the beauty of having a hen watching them

At least for me ...

cbater, you can expect them to fall asleep standing up a lot

They're so cute at this age.

You probably will have to show them how to drink. When you move them from the incubator to the brooder, dip the tip of their beak in the water. You won't need to show them how to eat though.

They can't go outside at this point (or they can go in the henhouse if you have a small area/brooder with a heat lamp). So if you're not set up outside, you'll have the pleasure of having stinky dustiness in your home for the next six weeks

 

[poupoule]

I had chicks before without a hen and a few drown in the water. I read somewhere (can't remember where) that you can use a rabbit waterer for the chick. Has anybody got experience with it? Two of my chicks hatched today

and I was wondering if I could use my bunny's waterer. Would the mama hen show them how to drink at it?

 

[citrusdreams]

Quote:
I haven't used a rabbit waterer, but this is what I did:

Take a shallow container for the water, like the lid off a jar (like McCormick spices) or even a regular chicken waterer and fill it with marbles or small rocks. The chicks will drink between the marbles/rocks, but won't drown it in.

I haven't lost a chick when mama raised it so I don't know if she would teach them how to drink from a bunny waterer.

 

[poupoule]

Thanks. I used a lid as a waterer last time and that what they drown in. I lke your idea of filling the lid with little rocks. I'll try it. Thanks

 

[silkiechick05]

Until what age do you have to worry about them getting pasty butt?