The Girls!

[Heather Flocklear]

Our girls are one week and one day old now! Thoughts:

no one warned they got so big so fast!
they eat a LOT!
what’s with them constantly throwing shavings in their water?
I read last year when researching raising them that you change their bedding every 4 days. Uh- where ever I read that, the person sits on a throne of lies! Even if we only had 6, it would require more frequent changing than that.

But all in all, it was a good first week. They all are alive and seem to be thriving, they lived thru meeting the grandkids yesterday (5, 4 and 1) and their wing feathers are coming in nicely!

 

[500Chickens]

I don't get why chicks like throwing bedding in their water either. so frustrating

 

[rosemarythyme]

what’s with them constantly throwing shavings in their water?
I read last year when researching raising them that you change their bedding every 4 days. Uh- where ever I read that, the person sits on a throne of lies! Even if we only had 6, it would require more frequent changing than that.

Their instincts tell them to dig to forage, even if they don't need to. Raise your waterer on a paver or some wood so it's not right on ground level.

Bedding change frequency depends on substrate and chick-to-substrate volume. When I brooded indoors they needed changing every 3 days. Brooding outdoors, zero - no need to clean the brooder the way I set it up.

 

[Heather Flocklear]

Their instincts tell them to dig to forage, even if they don't need to. Raise your waterer on a paver or some wood so it's not right on ground level.

Bedding change frequency depends on substrate and chick-to-substrate volume. When I brooded indoors they needed changing every 3 days. Brooding outdoors, zero - no need to clean the brooder the way I set it up.

Yes, we are brooding indoors! I’ll have to see if I can find some kind of something to raise the water on-simple but brilliant idea! Thank you!

 

[Callender Girl]

What sweet babies! Almost (almost, I say) makes me want to get more chicks.

Loved your list of thoughts, especially the part about the "throne of lies."

At no time have i been able to only change bedding every four days when I was brooding indoors. Raising the water dish helps, but I believe chicks have a diabolical instinct to sully their water, no matter how high you place it. Fortunately for them, their cuteness means we will be at their service, no matter what they do.

Thanks for sharing the photo. Cuteness in the morning is a great day-starter!

 

[RobinsRoost74]

They are SUPER cute! Yes they are growing and eating machines! To be honest we change the soiled bedding every day with our chicks, because we don't want any chance of wet bedding chilling babies. It's probably overkill but lol. You can put the water up until they are old enough to start playing "flight school" and knock it over constantly. That just happened to me with my going on 2.5 week girlies. Once you've changed bedding twice in an hour because your crazy bunch is be bopping all over and jump on the waterer you'll want it flat to prevent that I think lol.