how do I raise baby chicks

[kkloveschickens]

I am getting 1 day old chicks in about 29 days and I was wondering what I should buy for them and the coop like food feeders and waters food brands and shavings and how to: nesting box's. and anything else would be appreciated

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

I hate to say cruise the forums and learning center articles here, but it really is a wealth of informations. How many are you getting?

 

[kkloveschickens]

12

 

[Julia62]

I am getting 1 day old chicks in about 29 days and I was wondering what I should buy for them and the coop like food feeders and waters food brands and shavings and how to: nesting box's. and anything else would be appreciated

I have 3 chicks that are 2.5 weeks old now. We started last year with 3 - 10 week old pullets, now 11 months old.

For the chicks we have our "brooder" which is our guest bath tub! We have a heat lamp on one end (they need room to get away from heat if needed), a chick feeder, waterer, a branch and t.p. empty roll tubes for toys.

One thing I learned here is to use paper towels on top of shavings for the first couple weeks. They get traction that way and won't slip (plus it keeps shavings out of food and water)! Better for their legs. Plus, it's really easy to roll it up and toss. I changed it twice a day with just 3 chicks! You don't want them eating shavings. You will also need a thermometer. We have a large one taped to the side of the tub, but also have an infrared laser type gun (husband purchase). I can point it at the shavings and it tells me the temp! The first week you want it at 90-95, then 5 degrees lower each week. Mine are at 80 now and if it's warm out, I turn it off for a few hours a day.

If you are totally new to chickens, I highly recommend the book Raising Chickens for Dummies! Lots of good information on raising chicks, illness, building a coop, etc.

 

[Peeps61]

Exactly Julia62! I was going to recommend buying a book such as the Dummies book, and reading it from cover to cover. You need at least a basic idea of what you will need to do for the chicks and what you will need to look out for, before you bring your chicks home. That way, you have some idea of what you DON'T know, and know what questions to ask.

 

[Blooie]

This is the method I, and many others, are using to raise chicks. All you need is a piece of wire fencing, a Sunbeam extra large heating pad that allows you to bypass the auto-shut off feature, and a towel. Oh, and something to confine them in. If your coop is already built, they can go right outside from day one.

Here are mine outside. Their brooder is simply a wire pen out in the run:

11 of this group are 1 week old, 4 of them are 1 day old. Nighttime temps out there, by the way, were in the 20s. They thrived.


This was taken today, with the ages now 4 weeks and 5 weeks. Yep, they are playing outside, foraging, and just being young chickens. Nighttime temps still in the 20s...got down to 18 last night. Absolutely no problems at all, no dust in the house, no chicks peeping all night long, and the calmest chicks I've ever raised.

Here is link to the thread that explains all about it, complete with videos interspersed in the pages and modifications made by others using Mama Heating Pad brooders.

Edited to add: well, I don't know how helpful it was, since I foolishly forgot to add the link to the thread. My apologies.....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

 

[kkloveschickens]

thank you that was so help full we are building our coop from a swing set frame,chicken wire and lumber once again thank you so mush