Raising Baby Chicks: What’s Your Go-To Method?

[The Bougie Coop]

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?

Brooder. I only have one broody that can keep anything alive

What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?

I like hemp…however it is so dusty, no matter which brand. I have started using pine pellets and I like them better.

Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?

I use an Arcadia Deep Heat Projector and a Herpstat to control the temp. It works wonderfully and provides IR-A and IR-B for the chicks.

How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?

Around 6 weeks or so, as long as everyone is fully feathered, they get put into a dog crate in the run where the others can visit with them for a few days. Then I turn everyone loose. There is always some arguing but usually nothing terrible, and everyone adjusts.

And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

Proper temps, clean, fresh water at all times. Sometimes that means I change the water 2 or 3x a day. I start adding chick grit basically immediately, and at about a week I start adding fermented feed.

My babies are brooded in my bedroom, and I actually have two or three sleep on me at night. I have a fleece blanket I put on my chest and covers my neck and shoulders as well, and the chicks snuggle under my chin or sleep on my shoulders. I sleep on an air mattress on the floor and I will do this for a couple of weeks and it really helps bond them to me. This is not for everyone, but it works very well for me. I am not a deep sleeper usually and they will yell loudly if disturbed so it makes it easy not to squish one Yes, I have been pooped on. No, I don’t care. I get super friendly, social chicks who love to spend time with me as adults. Raising baby chicks is one of my favorite things to do.

 

[K0k0shka]

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?

Depends on what I need the chicks for. If I want friendly pet chickens, I raise them in a brooder in the house, so they can get handled and socialized as much as possible. If I just want utility chickens for eggs or meat, then I have a broody raise them, because it’s less work for me and it doesn’t matter that they aren’t as socialized.

What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?

In the brooder - sand is the best! I scoop the poops with a reptile scoop (cat scoops have big holes and the tiny chicken poops fall through them). This makes it REALLY easy to clean the bedding, and it doesn't waste any bedding or money, because I keep using the same sand until the chicks leave the brooder. With shavings or other similar substrates, you have to keep throwing out and buying more and more bedding. I have raised several generations of brooder chicks using sand only, and have never had any problems. I use play sand from Home Depot. Easy, clean, and fun for the chicks - they love scratching through it and dustbathing in it.

Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?

I only use DIY heating plates. I don't like the idea of a lamp - in addition to dangerous, it's also very unnatural for the chicks to not have any darkness 24/7. Chicks have circadian rhythms like us, so the non-stop light is disruptive and stressful. Plus, they have an innate need to snuggle under something for warmth, and, being that they don't have a mom, the plate is the next best thing and satisfies that need.

How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?

I have sectioned off part of my run with chicken wire, and I use that section for introducing new chickens or isolating injured chickens. They can see each other through the chicken wire, but can't get to each other. Unfortunately, my setup doesn't allow for the coop to be partitioned similarly, so the new chicks have to overnight in the brooder during the introductory process. So I take them outside in the morning, and bring them back into the house at night, for the first 2 weeks or so. Then I open up the divider and let them mingle with the flock. My coop is roomy and has multiple roosts, so the chicks can have their own area out of pecking range of the adults when they go to bed. I pick docile, non-confrontational breeds, so while the elders are always unhappy with any new additions, they don't draw blood or pluck feathers. Just the occasional squabble to remind the youngsters who's boss.

And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

Use a heating plate instead of a lamp! Lamps force extra heat on the chicks and it's hard for the chicks to get away from it and cool off. Even if the lamp is over one side of the brooder, so theoretically there's a "warm side" and "cool side", even the cool side isn't very cool. Overheating is one way chicks can get pasty butt. That's one of the (many) things I don't like about lamps. Not only is the constant light unnatural, but the constant heat is, too. With a hen, chicks aren't kept at 95 degrees 24/7. In fact, in the spring when hens tend to hatch out chicks, it's quite cool outside. And yet, little chicks have no issue walking around in the crisp cool air, only going under the hen periodically to warm up, then back out they go. A heating plate mimics this, and allows the chicks to regulate their own body temperature better. They don't overheat and develop pasty butt. With a lamp, they are always in a hot environment, even with a "cool corner" - it's just slightly less hot, it's not cool.

In my many years of rearing chicks (both in a brooder and with a broody hen), I have only ever had 1 instance of pasty butt. It was a chick that hatched with a hernia and was a little weak, so I kept him in the incubator a little longer. I think he got too hot and dehydrated, and developed pasty butt as a result of that. I washed his butt and he was fine after that. Grew into a beautiful rooster. I haven't had other instances of pasty butt.

 

[Tookie]

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?

Brooder setup. I don't get broody hens anyways, haha! I like to monitor and have the chicks near to keep a close eye on them.
I've used plastic bins, a 50gal Rubbermaid stock tank, and a dog crate.

What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?

I've only used pine shavings and puppy pads, and I prefer the puppy pads as they're easy to take out and change. Only thing is that the chicks do get messier feet.

Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?

I always used heat lamps, but the last few times I've used a brooder plate. Definitely prefer the brooder plate because heat lamps make me nervous! Though, make sure your brooder plates are high enough as they grow. A couple months ago one of my chicks got stuck under it, next to the leg! So be careful with that. My plate is the Brinsea EcoGlow Safety 1200, and in each corner it slops down from the top, making the corners tighter and lower to the ground. That's where my chick got stuff. Thankfully I found him in time and he didn't die.

How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?

For temperatures, once its warm enough (if I have chicks in early spring, and I also never have chicks much past spring so I don't deal with fall temps) they go out as soon as they can and if they're a few weeks old. If the temps are already warm enough, they go out once they're a few weeks old. I prefer keeping them inside for the first few weeks while they're more fragile.
For integration, I keep them separate for awhile. Until they're 20 weeks or so? Or even longer, its just what I prefer. But they can always see each other.

And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

Never had that problem. I've had chicks get it once or twice but it always went away so it wasn't an issue.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?

I have done both, but prefer a broody, hands down

What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?

Pine pellets in the outdoor brooder coop, shavings or hay in the nest boxes for broodys

Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?

With a broody there's no need, otherwise I use a momma heating pad for outside brooding

How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?

I have a grow out area with a small coop, they go out there as soon as everyone is hatched, dry, eating and drinking. It has little doors that I open after everyone has the routine down, and that's it, they eventually make their way into the coop around 6 weeks old. If they are broody raised, she takes care of all that.

And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

With a broody, nothing, it doesn't happen. And honestly, I don't think I've ever had an issue with chicks brooded outside.

 

[Bantam bell Wood]

I only use broody hens.

Shavings in a Nestera coop.

Only natural methods tried here; broody hens offer the chicks the right temperature, and so much more (parental protection, guidance, comfort, instruction etc. etc.).

They are integrated within the flock from hatch when raised by a broody in a regular coop. The broody starts teaching them from the moment they leave the nest, physical skills such as how to use the ramp or avoid predators, and social skills such how to behave toward and socialise with other chickens.

There has been no pasty butt here since I stopped using processed feeds (2020 for chick feed; adults were off it from 2018); it might be a coincidence, but I think not.

 

[Bantam bell Wood]

Hi, I’m curious what you use for feed. You mentioned “stopped using processed feeds.” What are the choices? I’m raising my first chicks now-12 weeks old. They are eating organs grower crumble and lots of pasture. Today I watched them all chase one of the pullets around who found a worm.

Thank you.

 

[BDutch]

Hi, I’m curious what you use for feed. You mentioned “stopped using processed feeds.” What are the choices? I’m raising my first chicks now-12 weeks old. They are eating organs grower crumble and lots of pasture. Today I watched them all chase one of the pullets around who found a worm.

Thank you.

This thread is not meant to be used as a chat thread but I make an exception. You find your answer in @Perris’s article : https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/wholesome-homemade-feed-2.79307/

 

[Perris]

Hi, I’m curious what you use for feed. You mentioned “stopped using processed feeds.” What are the choices? I’m raising my first chicks now-12 weeks old. They are eating organs grower crumble and lots of pasture. Today I watched them all chase one of the pullets around who found a worm.

Thank you.

what @BDutch said (and details where they linked).

 

[Esc_Quaily]

This is a great question. I'm enjoying reading this. I haven't had my Coturnix covey very long so I am no expert but I do have some experience with different methods.

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?

Quail aren't usually very maternal, I've hatched eggs in an incubator and brooder. I had one bird inconsistently sit on 6 eggs for a few weeks. None hatched but chicks did develop. We'll try her again in Summer when it's warmer.

What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?

I've used a couple of methods. I prefer the deep litter method because it's more natural and less aromatic however the brooder and surroundings get dusty. I tried large wood shavings less dusty but they got wet too easily.
The broody made a nest of wood shavings, leaves and feathers.

Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?

I use heat lamps in the day and ceramic reptile heat lamp at night. This gives the chicks warm and a break from from the bright light. The broody sat inconsistently on the eggs. Sometimes they were warm and sometimes they weren't.

How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?

Each time I do it differently. I've boxed them up and out of my house into their greenhouse coop. They transitioned well until I added the boys. I removed the hormonal males and create bachelor pads.
I've also added an older hen to the brooder to help the younger hens learn how to be hens. It worked well initially when they transitioned. A month or so later the "Nanny" has no time for the younger hens.
Next time I'm going to put the chicks in a smaller coop inside the big coop.

And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

I haven't dealt with pasty butt yet. I'm able to give a daily check-up to each bird. I also give them a shallow warm little bath once a month. It's controversial but the results are especially for hormonal males. Calms them right down and for a little while everyone gets on.

 

[Ashley The Crzy Chkn Lady]

I have only ever used a heat lamp but I really want to try a brooder plate instead... whats the differences and benefits pros and cons?