This article all of you people who want to raise chicks, but don’t know where to start. In this post, I’ll enlighten you about 5 important things that’ll help your chicks thrive. If you haven’t got any chicks yet, I have an important tip for you. Buy your chicks from your locally-owned feed store once the chicks are about a week old (the sickly ones will most likely be dead before they’re a week old). You can buy them from Tractor Supply or an online hatchery if you want.
Also, if you can, try to brood your chicks in the summer so you don’t have to use the heat lamp as long. In the evenings if it’s under 75°F you should turn the heat lamp on. Okay, now that I’ve told you that, now onto the 5 surefire chick brooding steps that’ll help you succeed.
NUMBER 1. Water. Everyone needs water, and so do your chicks. When you first get your chicks, give them room-temperature water in a little waterer. To convince them to drink, gently hold a chick at ground level and, with your other hand, gently dip its beak into the water. Try this with a few other chicks to be sure. you should use powdered electrolyte solution for the first few days of the chicks being at your home. Remember to give your chicks fresh water and their electrolyte solution separate dishes. A little apple cider vinegar will help prevent pasty butt, and a drop of oregano essential oil helps as an antibacterial medication. Remember not to use a metal dish or waterer with additives.
NUMBER 2. Shelter. Your chicks needs shelter. They MUST use a brooder (unless a broody hen is raising them). Every chick needs a brooder with these 3 standards.
NUMBER 3. Food. It’s typically wise to have two feeders in your chicks’ brooder. Use a conventional feeder for one, and a paper plate for the other, so that if the chicks are slower to learn with the first feeder, they can eat off of the paper plate. Use chick crumbles, and keep their food in a safe place. Also, if you plan to raise more chicks in the distant future, consider buying a 50 lb. bag of feed. It’ll keep for a long time, and it’s relatively inexpensive.
NUMBER 4. Heat. This point is actually optional if you live far south like I do. You just have to time your brooding a bit later into the year. I started them in June, and for the first week, I only had to keep their lamp on in the evenings, but now they’re off of the lamp completely. If you can’t brood in the summer time, then just put a ladder over your brooder, and clip your heat lamp to it. Tractor Supply and other feed stores sell heat lamps for inexpensive. I’d suggest you buy 2 lamps, plus extra bulbs, in case your first lamp burns out.
NUMBER 5. Be prepared. Remember that anything can happen when you’re brooding chicks. Things can burn, chicks can die, and it can rain. If a chick dies, pick it up (with gloves if you’re squeamish), and gently toss it in the dumpster… Or stage a funeral for it, and compress the dirt it’s been buried in well, to keep predators from digging it up. If it rains, and you’re brooding chicks outside, you’ll want to turn off your heat lamp and put a tarp over the brooder to keep it from getting wet. As soon as the rain stops, turn the heat lamp back on, and take the flammable tarp off.
Also, if you can, try to brood your chicks in the summer so you don’t have to use the heat lamp as long. In the evenings if it’s under 75°F you should turn the heat lamp on. Okay, now that I’ve told you that, now onto the 5 surefire chick brooding steps that’ll help you succeed.
NUMBER 1. Water. Everyone needs water, and so do your chicks. When you first get your chicks, give them room-temperature water in a little waterer. To convince them to drink, gently hold a chick at ground level and, with your other hand, gently dip its beak into the water. Try this with a few other chicks to be sure. you should use powdered electrolyte solution for the first few days of the chicks being at your home. Remember to give your chicks fresh water and their electrolyte solution separate dishes. A little apple cider vinegar will help prevent pasty butt, and a drop of oregano essential oil helps as an antibacterial medication. Remember not to use a metal dish or waterer with additives.
NUMBER 2. Shelter. Your chicks needs shelter. They MUST use a brooder (unless a broody hen is raising them). Every chick needs a brooder with these 3 standards.
- It should be tall enough to keep them from flying out
- It should be covered to keep animals out
- It should have a warm bedding of hay or wood shavings inside to absorb poop and spilled water.
NUMBER 3. Food. It’s typically wise to have two feeders in your chicks’ brooder. Use a conventional feeder for one, and a paper plate for the other, so that if the chicks are slower to learn with the first feeder, they can eat off of the paper plate. Use chick crumbles, and keep their food in a safe place. Also, if you plan to raise more chicks in the distant future, consider buying a 50 lb. bag of feed. It’ll keep for a long time, and it’s relatively inexpensive.
NUMBER 4. Heat. This point is actually optional if you live far south like I do. You just have to time your brooding a bit later into the year. I started them in June, and for the first week, I only had to keep their lamp on in the evenings, but now they’re off of the lamp completely. If you can’t brood in the summer time, then just put a ladder over your brooder, and clip your heat lamp to it. Tractor Supply and other feed stores sell heat lamps for inexpensive. I’d suggest you buy 2 lamps, plus extra bulbs, in case your first lamp burns out.
NUMBER 5. Be prepared. Remember that anything can happen when you’re brooding chicks. Things can burn, chicks can die, and it can rain. If a chick dies, pick it up (with gloves if you’re squeamish), and gently toss it in the dumpster… Or stage a funeral for it, and compress the dirt it’s been buried in well, to keep predators from digging it up. If it rains, and you’re brooding chicks outside, you’ll want to turn off your heat lamp and put a tarp over the brooder to keep it from getting wet. As soon as the rain stops, turn the heat lamp back on, and take the flammable tarp off.
