Caring for new chicks

advise on how to perk them up again.

First of all, your little Silkie’s are thirsty, so lets make them some “chick juice”.

If you have an old milk container, or empty liter of cola around, simply rinse your bottle out completely and fill the container with clean

Luke warm tap water.

Next find the sugar and add to the container 2 tsp. of sugar. 

Swish around until well dissolved.  If you have been to the store

To buy Tetracycline ( an antibiotic found at any farm supply store)

add 1 tsp. of  this to your water.  Swish around and fill your chick

Waterer.  If you have not gotten a chick waterer yet, use a lid

(not a bowl...chicks can drown easily) similar to the lids you would

 find on a mayo jar, or instant tea jar. 

Now this is really important, since your chicks do not have a mother there

You have to be the mother, and teach them how to eat and drink. 

First to drink, dip the beak of the chick into the water and raise it up and allow the chick to take the water in, continue this process at least 4 or 5 times, until they can do it on their own. Be sure not to hold the chick down to long.  You just want them to get a sip, not drowned them.  

Next lets eat!   Sprinkle some of the medicated chick starter you have already purchased on the bottom of your brooder box.  Next using your finger tip, tap the bottom of the box, as if you were a chick pecking feed. 

Your chick will eventually begin pecking the feed and you can step back and admire your work.  Remember to do this every so often to remind

Them to eat, just as a mother hen would do. 

We continue all chicks with the starter chick water ( with Tetracycline) for two weeks, and we use medicated chick starter on all new chicks for the first two months of life.

 Chicks do not need a rooster to lay eggs. Your Silkie chick should begin laying eggs at around 22—24 weeks of age , Barnevelders at around 16 weeks (unless it is cold).

You will find that your chick will gain more and more feathers every day. 

As your Silkie chicks reach 4 months they will begin to get large Cotton balls on top of their heads.  This is only the beginning.  Watch your new chicks as they

develop feathers on their toes, and super soft tail feathers ,these are the same feathers fly fisherman use to make fishing lures. 

We hope you enjoy your new rare breed chicks, we think you will find them to be one of the most docile, beautiful and hearty poultry breeds.

Day old chicks can be so much fun when you know just what to do, and what not to do. 

The following information is simply my advice.  I do not speak for all in the industry, but I will tell you what works well for us.  We have had much success and I will admit that we have made our share of mistakes. 

A CHICK CARE BREAK DOWN!

The morning that you are expecting your chicks, even before the post office has called you.  The following things need to be addressed.

• Make sure you have a brooding box, a container that is large enough to hold the number of chicks that you are expecting. 
• You will need a heat lamp, brooder light. 
• You will need wood shaving, or papers with wood shavings or scratch on the brooder floor.
• You will need to have a waterer in place.  You will want ot mix a teaspoon of sugar and possibly and antibiotic into the water , mix 1 teaspoon of each per gallon water.
• Chick feed / you will want to be sure you have plenty of chick starter feed on hand for your new chicks.

Special Notes To Remember About Day Old Chicks......

• Be sure to inspect the chicks while you are still at the post office.  DO NOT leave the post office until you have looked at the post office .
• If the postman deliveres to your door, check the chicks before the postman leaves your home. 
• If there are ANY deceased chicks report that to the postman or if at the post office, report the loss to the post master.  
• Be sure to have the post master fill out a loss claim.  Your chicks are covered by the insurance that we purchase. 
• Be sure to keep the room draft free that your chicks are in.  DRAFT will kill chicks.
• REMEMBER!  A busy , noisy chick is a healthy chick!
• If you lose a chick it is a sad day, but we have prepared for this just incase by sending you extra chicks. 

Enjoy your new little additions!  Feel free to e mail us anytime or call for additional chick information.