# question about chickens



## Jaspar (Feb 3, 2010)

We have five little chicks in a brooder in our garage. Never raised chickens this young before. Someone told me to put apple cider vinegar in their water. Is that just for older chickens, or can you do this with chicks as well? Right now we are giving them plain water and chick starter feed. They seem pretty healthy so far after a week in our garage. 

any advice would be great. Thanks.:wave:


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## lilmissy0740 (Mar 7, 2011)

I give my chicks/chickens organic apple cider vinegar. I put in about 1 T in two gallons of water. I dust my coops and their feed with DE. Just a little bit on their feed. Good luck. They are a lot of fun.


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## Jaspar (Feb 3, 2010)

lilmissy0740 said:


> I give my chicks/chickens organic apple cider vinegar. I put in about 1 T in two gallons of water. I dust my coops and their feed with DE. Just a little bit on their feed. Good luck. They are a lot of fun.


Thanks for the info. I'm assuming T means Tablespoon? What is DE?


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

Jaspar said:


> What is DE?


DE=Diatomaceous Earth :wave:


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

I have chickens but never heard about using either vinegar or DE with them. What's the reasoning to use both items? I'm TLTGI right now...too lazy to google it.


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## Gypsyshome (Apr 21, 2011)

Hey, check out cackle hatchery.com they are in Lebanon,Mo. Lots of good info. #1. Keep em warm, floor level 100 degrees. have a 100 watt incandescent light bulb 18" above them and room for them to move away, if they get too warm. care depends on their age. warm, not cold water if they are really young. Good luck. I am going to try heritage turkeys and Red Jungle Fowl (best chance for free range) this year I hope. Still working on fencing Maybe another 20 posts and another gate and we will have a good start!


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## lilmissy0740 (Mar 7, 2011)

DE is good for everything. Check out the other posts about DE for humans. Keeps the flies and bugs out of the coop in the summer. I even try to sprinkle it where they take their "baths", then I know they are getting it all over. Helps with lice and parasites. Vinegar helps with their intestinal "Stuff". Cant think of the word right now, lol. If you see they are huddled together, they need warmer heat, if they are staying away from the heat, it is to warm. Each week I raise my heat lamp up a bit, but I just use a red heat lamp bulb.


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## Jaspar (Feb 3, 2010)

is there anyway to tell what sex they are after a week or so?


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## catsraven (Jan 25, 2010)

Sexing chicks is difficult at best. So, no not really. You will have to wait for them to start getting there combs. The roos usually have darker and larger ones.


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## Jaspar (Feb 3, 2010)

catsraven said:


> Sexing chicks is difficult at best. So, no not really. You will have to wait for them to start getting there combs. The roos usually have darker and larger ones.


Yeah, that's what I figured. I've got two production reds that are supposed to be hens, three cornish x that I have no idea what they are (we're eating those), and two blackish chicks (no idea what they are) The blackish ones were labeled "heavy breed straight run". We figured if they're males we'll eat them too.

I bought the two reds for eggs and decided I wanted 1 or 2 more and went back to the feed store, but some guy bought the rest of them (about 40 or so). They were the only place that sold anything other than the Cornish or "Heavy Breed" chicks. Kind of sucks because I don't want to pay $30 - $40 to have a couple of chicks delivered by mail. Checked around locally and nobody within an hour drive seems to be selling anything.

Oh well, at least we'll have 3-5 chickens in our freezer by summer. :2thumb:


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

The_Blob said:


> DE=Diatomaceous Earth :wave:


A little info on DE

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f14/anyone-else-use-de-3118/

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f3/de-health-9528/


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