Hello - I appear to have 2 baby chicks in the house...

[Jackaroo]

Just picked up DS2 from nursery.. before I could blink had been given two new-born chicks to look after over the weekend. (it's friday night here).

So, I think they're around 3-4 days old, they were already very hatched and fluffy 36 hours ago... they came back to us in a nappies box (huggies), and I've put a terry nappy in the bottom and made up a saucer of water,a nd one of food. They were eating when we picked them up and I thought it might settle them. They took one look and started eating chicken poo.

Thoughts? Ideas? Can't take them back, but desperately want to. Have raised the kids no problems, but don't see these two making it past Saturday night tbh.

Help :-(

Actually, might move to chat... for faster traffic. A bit twitchy about all this ..

Didn't catch this in chat, but agree this is cheeky. Even if you've kept chickens before, chicks are another matter. They need alot of care. Have you got a heat source? Does the food look like crumbs o is it chunkier?

Do you know of an agricultural suppliers near you? Local is better or mole valley farmers would do in a pinch. Ask if you could borrow a heat source. I'd offer you mine but it's already on loan.

As long as they are warm and have access To food and water they should survive the weekend. Ready for you to tell them it wasn't a good idea!

Sorry for ttpos and random caps, combination of speed, ipod abdfat fingers

I have a heat lamp and a water thing, where are you Jackaroo?

Mm.. dark side of Sydney.. and it's still a bit wintry. Great. am on the hunt for a lamp... wish me luck.

You will definitely need a heat source, an electric brooder or heat lamp to keep them warm. I would move them out of the Huggies box and into a large plastic storage box, as they might be little, cute and fluffy but they can produce a lot of poo.
You need to be careful about the water container, as chicks are very fond of trying to drowned themselves. So try placing pebbles in the container to defeat their suicide attempts. They will need to eat chick crumb as pellets will be too big for them.

I would not be pleased if this was my child's nursery, it is a very irresponsible attitude to both you and the chicks!
I have hatched eggs with Reception class before, but made sure we had plans for the chicks care during weekends before we took delivery of the eggs. Nursery should have at least asked you in advance and provided you with everything needed for their care, so that you weren't put to any expense or time, trying to sort out something they are responsible for.

Hope everything goes well.

OK, well as per the other part of the thread, all is currently OK thanks to the Chickmeister Sarah. TBFair, they did ask me if we wanted to take a pair for the weekend, but I thought they meant NEXT weekend, as they had barely hatched at that stage...

Star - it's def. very fine mix, not a chunk/pellet in sight..and they really seem to enjoy it.

Mrs D - I've put an 8oz weight in the middle of a v. shallow bowl/almost saucer, so hope that will do the trick. We get drowned birds in the pool, but who builds a nest over a body of water? Anyway, I digress. They are fed, watered, pooped out (off to Kmart in teh morning for suitable receptacle) and snuggled against wall warmed by hot water bottle on the outside.

jolly good. It's now gone 7pm, and kids are not in bed (unsurprisingly). Better go. cheers for all that though, Yes, will be a little more stern on Monday when we take them back. Was tbh, a bit Friday afternoon, dazed, mid-other rubbish, and just took them without a murmur. no-one tell kids, a good time obviously to get pretty much anything past me..

thanks so much.

Can I just check. Do chicks close their eyes? I've just realised whilst they're being very quiet, and snuggled, the one I can see has open eyes.

I thought they were asleep. they're still breathing.

Glad to hear they are still doing well. Our chicks used to be really noisy cheepers, the only time they were quiet was when they were asleep. Have an enjoyable weekend with them, you might be tempted to get some chicks yourself!

They will NOT shut up!! Have just replace precarious home-made heat lamp contraption (best not to ask) with warming mat (used for baby kittens normally) and I think they are happy about it.

But Mrs d you're so right, they're loud! They've suddenly stopped Do I get out of bed and check? DH is v. close by them... maybe he moved suddenly. Ah, can't cope til Monday, let alone think of keeping them (although rather impressed they seem to have grown proper feathers in hte last 36 hours).