10 day old chicks

[Anonymous]

Hi!

After all the help and advice you gave us, re Kiev, we thought you wouldn't mind if we picked your brains again......

Our son's school is doing a project - "living eggs". It seems the school are delivered eggs, that will hatch, and then they keep them for ten days.... after that, they are free to a good home, or sent to a petting zoo.

There are 10 eggs in total, and school seems adamant they will have ten chicks. Thanks to my little one's announcement in the middle of class - "My Mummy has chickens and we can have some!!!", it seems I am taking on two! We have six already, so I think eight is ample!

The coop is capable of holding more, and they are free range round the garden, but eight is plenty, I'm sure!!!

Ok - here's the science bit! We've never had chicks before - except our orpies, who were 16 weeks, and established.

I have the spare coop, after we upgraded to a larger home for the girls, so keeping them segregated for a while will be no problem, when they are old enough......

Our worries are how to care for them for the first few weeks, whilst they are on house arrest!!! lol! We can put them in the utility, which has natural daylight, and is part of the house. I don't want to have to invest in expensive heat lamps and such, as these will be the only pair we raise from chicks.

Can you lovely guys advise us on what we need, re heat, bedding, feed, etc?

Also, I spoke to the company's local adviser today, and she told me they are hybrid chicks. When I asked what sort of hybrid, she couldn't tell me. She said they have gone so far back over the years, they don't know! The only thing she could say is that they are built for laying and have good immunity, hence the reason they can be hatched in schools, nurseries, etc.

My husband asks one question..... are we taking on too much?! 07

 

[Davidd]

Hello, if you take them they need a brooder of some sort- either a heat lamp or a electric hen ( Brinsea do a small one and the new version is good) The house will not be warm enough on it's own- they must have heat for 6 weeks minimum.You can putthem on shavings as bedding- you must feed them chick crumbs and they need them 24/7 and water of course. Some people use a 100 watt bulb and that is fine if the house is warm.
regards, David

 

[Frenchchickens123]

I think David has mentioned everything for the care of the chicks! How exciting love having chicks they are soo sweet! I keep mine under a heat lamp until at least 8 weeks but by the time you get them the weather will be warmer and so generally chicks can enjoy outside life once fully feathered which is about 6 weeks. You will need to switch to growers pellets after a time but can't remember when (all mine are in an all natural diet with mixed grain including chicks after 8 weeks) but the information should be written on the bag of chick crumbs. They stay on growers till about 16/18 weeks I think and then you can gradually introduce them to what you feed your other chooks. Hope this helps x

 

[Anonymous]

What a lovely idea, wish my school did this when I was a kid (many many moons ago :roll: ). If you can keep them in the house and follow the info above I'm sure you will have no problems. It is great fun raising chicks as long as you are prepared that some may be cockerels.

 

[Aileen]

You're doing it then?!?!?! :lol:
As they say in Scotland "Aw ra best doll!" hope you manage ok.
Ona more serious note, I would do pretty much what Davidd and Frenchchick have advised.. From what I have read Davidd is a bit of a mac-daddy with his chicken knowledge so follow him and you won't go far wrong.
If one was to be a cockerel could you keep it??

 

[Anonymous]

Hi guys!

Apparently they can tell the cockerels apart, as they are bright yellow, and the girls are brown?!

Yep, we are defo doing ahead with it, although I am very wary..... I could seriously do with a list of what to buy! I know I sound dense, but can I get a cardboard box, and insulate it with polystyrene (on the outside obvs!!!) for extra warmth? Does the heat lamp have to be on all the time? Will a 100 watt bulb do the job?

GAAAAH! 19

 

[Anonymous]

I'm no expert in raising chicks in this way as I have only raised them under a broody hen (well 2 infact and they did a wonderful job, no stress at all). A cardboard box would be fine. I think you will need to have the heat lamp on all the time but I wouldn't also insulate it as heat can build up too much and that wouldn't be good. Hopefully someone who is expert in all this will answer your questions.
Good luck.
PS it sounds as if the chicks you are getting are autosexing.

 

[Anonymous]

For obvious reasons, I don't want to get it wrong. These are lives we are talking about here.

Puppies, baby bunnies, yes! I have no problems! Had my buck castrated, kept him away from Harriet for 6 weeks, and POW! She STILL had kits! lol!

This matter, however, is alien to me - totally, and I wouldn't pretend I know anything! I have to ensure I know exactly what I'm doing, and am fully prepared before the 17th, which is when we can "adopt" them.

I want to call them "Oopsy" and "Daisy" - what do you think?!

17

 

[Anonymous]

Ideal names :lol: I would say.
Another thing to do, maybe look up more info on the net or buy a basic chicken book because this will probably give you more info. One thing we were told when we first had the chicks last year is that you have to be careful with the water because apparently chicks are drawn to it and can easily drown. For this reason we gave them a very shallow amount. Also get in the chick crumbs as that is what they eat for quite a while.