I do have chicks (in fact I have some hatching right now) But I keep them elevated for the first couple months while slowly introducing grass and dirt from different places around the farm. When they go into the their bigger pen, it's deep litter to keep them just a little further from the dirt plus I used to give them sulpha-quin (which was great until they stopped making it) now I just put some powder in their water when it get rainy or if I have to have them crowded for a couple weeks. So long as you keep the run clean and they don't spend too much time on soul while they're young, I find that they usually do okay.
Satay; my condolences for the loss of your rooster.
Oh that's good, I could not imagine chickening without chicks.
What powder do you put in the water?
