Getting chicks!! dont know a thing about them/:

[lionheadlover]

Hi,
So im getting 10 chicks! I dont know anything about them really.......But i have my set up just missing food and the chicks should i keep a heat lamp on them? How long until i can take them off chick feed? Need advise!!!! Thanks

 

[citychickx6]

And Welcome to the crazy world of chickening!

There is a learning center button up top and a TON of great information on raising chicks.

Yes they need the heat lamp. I keep mine on chick feed until they are 18 to 20 weeks old.

 

[lionheadlover]

Okay thank you!

 

[Ridgerunner]

There is a rule of thumb that you should start the chicks off somewhere between 90 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit and drop that five degrees every week until they feather out. They normally feather out at around 5 weeks. I find it a whole lot easier to make the brooder big enough so that I just provide heat in one spot and let the rest cool down as it will. I keep my brooder in the coop and that cooler part can get down in the 40’s or 50’s at times. As long as they have the warm area to go to, they will do fine. They will find their own comfort zone and I don’t worry about keeping the entire brooder one perfect temperature.

There are a whole lot of different options on what you can feed them. You don’t really have to be that specific. A normal regimen is Starter for 4 to 8 weeks, then Grower until you switch to Layer. You generally switch to Layer at 20 weeks or when they start to lay.

Or you can get a combined Starter/Grower and feed that from Day 1 until you switch to Layer. Some people feed a Flock Raiser product from Day 1 until they switch to Layer. Some people never switch to Layer but feed Flock Raiser or Grower with oyster shell on the side.

The only real rule is to not feed Layer until 20 weeks or they start to lay. Layer has a high percentage of calcium which the hens need for the egg shells, but that high percent of calcium can harm growing chicks.

It sounds confusing, but that is only because so many different things work.

 

[lionheadlover]

Okay i just got 10 chicks! They are ADORABLE! Anyways their living in my rabbit barn and they love it i got 3 easter eggers which lay blue/green eggs and 7 black fuzz balls I don't know what breed i will post pictures tommarow when i get a chance!