raising baby chicks

[olivia11]

You have to Google "pasty butt" and check their rear ends twice a day for the first 5 days or so. It could literally save their lives.

Absolutely pasty butt checks are crucial early on and can really be lifesaving.

 

[olivia11]

1. Provide age appropriate food.

2. Provide clean water.

3. Provide predator protection.

4. Protect them from weather as necessary. Too hot, too cold, too windy, or too wet.

5. Until they feather out provide a spot warm enough but allow them cooler areas to go to if they wish to.

6. Provide enough room. Keep it dry.

To me, these are the basics. There are a lot of different ways to provide any of them. Too many different ways to go about providing details on any of them. If you have specific questions or can tell us about your specific situation we may be able to help.

thank you for sharing this

 

[olivia11]

There are many ways to raise them based on your situation and weather conditions, as well as your coop set up, and general thoughts on them. Are they pets or food?

There are lots of articles and threads on raising chicks on BYC. First thing is to decide where you plan to brood them, what you plan to brood them in, and what heat source you wish to use. Number of chicks can also factor into it.

Best advice is never crowd them, and move them to a bigger area at 2, 4, and 8 weeks as they become more active. Pick a good chick starter and feed only that for the first few months. Also make sure not to overheat them.

Chicks pretty much take care of themselves. Provide feed, clean water, and clean the broader as needed.

Great overview planning the brooder setup and avoiding crowding really makes all the difference early on.