ARRIVAL DATE – FIRST DAY instructions. Be sure you have some flexible time to pick up your birds from the post office. Sometimes they do not arrive when expected. Be sure to have your brooder area set up and heating source tested out so the birds can go straight into the brooder as soon as they arrive. Refrain from handling or playing with the birds the first 24 hours. We recommend for the first day to have the drinking water at 98 degrees F. This is because the birds are small with little weight to them on arrival. They will drink a lot of water which if too cool can rapidly decrease their body temperature and put them into shock or make them sick. Take each chick, one at a time, and with your fingers hold the chick’s head and do a quick dip of the chick’s beak into the water and then let go of the chick. If you notice any lethargic behavior, after 4 hours, try using 1/3 cup of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother to every quart of warm water for 3-5 days. Normally the chicks will not start drinking or eating until they have first warmed up. The heat source needs to be at least 98-100 degrees, measured 1 inch off the brooder floor directly under the heat source. Make plenty of room so the birds can walk away from the heat source when they get too hot. A guide is one brooder lamp per 25 chicks using a 100 watt regular light bulb. The bottom of the bulb should be about 18 inches above the floor (check for 98-100 degrees at floor level). Make sure the chicks have a big area to move away from the heat as needed. Lay down a couple of layers of paper all around the brooder floor on top of the pine shaving (or you can use clean straw) and sprinkle chick starter on the paper towel. Their feet will not slip on the paper towels and they will pick at all the sprinkled chick starter. Change the paper towels out as needed. Then the next day remove the paper towels and/or sprinkled feed and use your normal feeder. You can also order a “Starter Kit” from Cackle Hatchery®. It should be ordered and shipped in advance of your chicks.
WARNING! Teflon coated light bulbs are toxic to chickens. The Sylvania Rough Service Frosted does carry a warning on the package, but the GE Rough Service Work light 100 and 75 do not carry a warning. When the Teflon coated bulb is heated, it emits toxic fumes that kill the chickens. Be sure you do not use Teflon coated bulbs around your fowl
SPECIAL NOTES: Sometimes chicks may have had a cold trip or extra-long trip and need extra heat the first 8 hours. Sometimes it is necessary to have 105 degree F in one spot or area for them to go to and warm up. Usually, in 15-30 minutes the heat has warmed their bodies up and they will start to move around and want to start to eat and drink. Also, we strongly recommend clean straw as bedding for the first 2 weeks rather than large shavings. Chicks tend to eat too much of the small parts of shavings and cause illness in the first 2 weeks.