Baby chicks - hints and tips please!

[MammKernow]

Hi, our very clever mummy Maran has hatched 11 eggs (from various breed mums and a Legbar cockerel).

This is our first brood so whilst we are aware of the general requirements etc, we'd be very grateful for any special hints and tips from you all that will keep the chicks happy and healthy!

Congratulations!!! Presumably you have chick crumb. Make sure any water is really shallow so they can't drown (you might want to put pebbles in the water bowl).

The broody should do most of it, but never underestimate chicks' talent for suicide.
Avoid:
drinkers where they can drown (fill them with pebbles)
small spaces where they can get stuck
things they can tangle round their legs
....

We usually separate the hen and chicks away from the main flock in an ark until they about 6 weeks old and can fend for themselves. This stops them being picked on by the other chickens or wandering off too far from mum. We have plastic water feeders for ours which are easy to clean every day and the chicks get the hang of really quickly.

Don't keep them on long grass - it encourages coccidiosis. Use a chick crumb with an anti coccidistat in it.

Hi all, thanks for the replies

Atm, they are isolated in a wood shed that we have secured. We covered the floor in wood chip and straw, and we intend to build an ark this week so they can go on grass.

Is it totally necessary to medicate them? Currently we are feeding them on a homemade chick crumb (as researched off t'interweb and in a few books), but i am worrying i may not get it right. And bought chick crumb has anti-bios in it too - do they need them? Or is it not worth taking the risk? I am a bit lentil-weavy and would like them to be as natural and organic as poss, but i don't want to put them at risk...

They have a plastic water feeder (like Mummymeister suggested) and we tried to block up all holes etc in the shed.

They are soooooo cute! My 5 year old loves her spring chickens

Make sure the wood chip is not too fine as they can have a dreadful habit of eating it and bunging themselves up. I lost more than one chick that way before I realised what was happening!

Hi MrsNoggin, thanks for the tip. They have low-dust wood shavings so i think its not too fine, but i'll keep an eye out jic

If you can spot the signs of it quickly then you can treat it but it may not be effective and it will kill them all fast.