Forestchook Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Hi, On Tuesday I am due to collect four three week old chicks from the school where my Aunt works. (The farm they got the eggs from does not want them back) Apperently they are "a bantum and three light sussexs'. Can anyone tell me... Will the batum chick be okay in with the sussexs? He/she is in with them at the moment but will the size difference become a problem later? What is a suitable non slip mat/bedding material? I have a fish tank they can go in but I'm not sure what I can/should line it with? I know you put water in a shallow dish with marbles in it to stop them falling in and drowning but when can they progress to a non marbled drinker? Any other advice on things i am likly to have missed? I can borrow the heat lamp they are currently under. I can source chick crumb.... Also just to reassure you, I do know i may have boys to dispose of one way or another . ( Somebody at the school thinks they are all girls but i am dubious, although I live in hope ) Many thanks N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Tea Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Sounds to me like you have all the bases covered I have week old chicks in the coop with my broody and have newspaper covered with a good thick layer of auboise (sp?) on the floor which seems fine for them. I'm not sure about the drinker but I would imagine that by 5/6 weeks they should be ok without the marbles (I'm certain somebody will correct me if that's wrong!). Good luck, hope they are all girls, that would be lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 and if they are brought up together from chicks the size difference may not matter so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forestchook Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 Thanks. So sawdust, or rather wood shavings over newspaper would be okay? They are the fairly smallish shavings suitable for a hamster or small animals. Its the stuff i use in the coop for my current three chooks but I have read conflicting info about using wood shavings/sawdust for chicks! N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Woodshavings are good and the ones sold for hamsters are fine, dont use sawdust its too dusty and they may try to eat it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JillM Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I used marbles in my water drinker until the chicks were just over a week old, then they were so much bigger and active that it seemed completely unnecessary. Even though as one of yours is smaller it probably won't need them at 3 weeks old, although it certainly wouldn't hurt to use them for a few days just to keep your mind at rest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forestchook Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 Thanks for the advice. So they are here, cheeping happily and scratching about in their box. Or sleeping! They were on woodshavings anyway so thats okay. Their existing feeder and drinker came with them. There are no marbles or pebbles in the drinker so I don't have to worry about when I need to remove them. I do have to keep removing the bedding they kick into it though. I am slightly worried that they will jump out of the box but hopefully they will stay put until I can find a lid that will not block the heat from the lamp. Sadly, now I have seen them I am even more dubious about them all being girls. I have a sneaking suspicion I have two of each but I'll just have to wait and see. N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forestchook Posted May 26, 2011 Author Share Posted May 26, 2011 Okay, I have another question: Can I give them greens to eat? Or anything other than chick crumb? It would be nice to give them something else to peck at but I don't want to give them funny tummys if they are too young to cope with it. Also, when do they progress from chick crumb to growers? I can't find any guidance for this but maybe I'm not looking in the right place. Sorry if I sound ignorant but I don't want to do anything wrong. N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostock422 Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 chick crumbs to rearers is around 6-7 weeks. you could give them greens, but i wouldn't give them a lot, I tried that with my chicks and they weren't interested, although they do like meal worms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forestchook Posted May 27, 2011 Author Share Posted May 27, 2011 Ahh, thank you. I suspected it would be around then but I'm a nervous chick mummy so had to make sure. Afraid I don't have any meal worms. If the chicks are anything like my big girls they won't be interrested in greens either. Unfortunately, since I made the mistake of letting them eat chick crumb from my hand, they are interrested in my fingers now N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
