What am I doing wrong? Please help!

[FluffAndFeather]

I'd check on them in an hour or 2. Let them settle for a bit. It's normal for such young chicks to not be that interested in eating for a bit, they should be eating in a few hours

Ok, I will let them rest, thank you

 

[FluffAndFeather]

They seem a lot more perky! I put some hay in there and ajusted the heat and some other things. They are eating, drinking, and running around!

 

[FrostRanger]

They seem a lot more perky! I put some hay in there and ajusted the heat and some other things. They are eating, drinking, and running around!

Be careful about using hay, it tends to stay damp which is bad for chicks as it can allow coccidiosis to breed out of hand and sometimes chickens will eat it and it can get tangled up and cause a blockage. I would use pine shavings and give them a little bit of chick grit in case they try and eat it

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Puppy pee pads are an excellent choice for bedding, I can't tell what you have in there. Paper towels are not very absorbent, tend to shred and some chicks will peck at and eat them. If you use pee pads, change every day. You don't need straw, chips or anything else with pee pads and they are not dusty.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Yes to the chick grit. You can put it in a little bowl or (better) toss it on the floor of the brooder, they will scratch and peck at it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Glad they got more lively!

 

[FluffAndFeather]

Be careful about using hay, it tends to stay damp which is bad for chicks as it can allow coccidiosis to breed out of hand and sometimes chickens will eat it and it can get tangled up and cause a blockage. I would use pine shavings and give them a little bit of chick grit in case they try and eat it

Ok! I will probably pick some shavings up soon! Thanks! That’s good to know

 

[FluffAndFeather]

Puppy pee pads are an excellent choice for bedding, I can't tell what you have in there. Paper towels are not very absorbent, tend to shred and some chicks will peck at and eat them. If you use pee pads, change every day. You don't need straw, chips or anything else with pee pads and they are not dusty.

That’s good to know! Thanks!

 

[FluffAndFeather]

Yes to the chick grit. You can put it in a little bowl or (better) toss it on the floor of the brooder, they will scratch and peck at it.

Ok! Thank you

 

[Toothpick]

Newly hatched chicks don't typically eat/drink for the first 24-36hrs IME. They just absorbed all that yolk and hatched and are full and tired. I'll dip their beak in the water and show them the food on day 2. And again on day 3 if I don't see them getting it on their own. Once I observe them eating and drinking on their own they are good. Even if it's just 1 or two chicks I see doing it, the rest will follow.