- Apr 11, 2009
- 1,436
- 55
- 171
RAISING CHICKENS FROM START TO FINISH
By
Glenda L Heywood
Fanciers here is the way I used to raise chicks along
with a brooder box design, though very normal is
reasanably cheap to make and maintain. Always use two
1x4 inch boards with a ceramic light fixture screwed
on the board with plug in cord. Lay this acros the box
for warmth.
If one bulb burns out then there is a back up light
bulb so the chicks don't pile up and smother.
First you need to decide what amount of chickens you
want to raise at this time. Then purchase the chicks
at either a hatchery or a breeder. The breeders will
have the pure breeds.
You should have made up some kind of brooding
arrangements before you buy the chicks. If you have
the brooder house with a nice brooder and lights
that is great. If not this is what you can make to
get you started.
HOMEMADE BROODER BOX
I used a brooder box with a lighting fixture like
this. Using a 1"x4" board the width of the box for
length. Use a ceramic light fixture secured to the
1x4 board. Now build a brooder box for say 2 dozen
chicks about 4ftx6ft and using 1"x12" lumber cut to
fit and nail 4 sides together and then use the 1x12's
for the flooring. Nail the light board with fixture
(should have two boards as two lights are best)
across the top of the width of the brooder. One
board with fixture for light bulb at the front back
about 1 ft and the other at the back of box about 1 ft
from rear.
Now have some type of covering for at least half of
the brooder box. I used a large sheet of formica cut
to fit the brooder box half way up. If it is cold use
a little more of the covering. Leave a nice size
space for the ventilation of the brooder box,
especially at night.
I used play school sand for bedding it is very good,
using a cat litter cleaner to sift out the manure
regularly) and cleaned them at least every
5 days. Adding back new sand when cleaned.
Using 100 watt bulbs to keep the box 98 degrees ( or
if in house where warm may take less wattage.) You can
tell if chicks are cheeping and running from light it
is too hot, if they cheep and run towards the light it
is too cold)
The first week and then cut the amount of wattage of
bulbs the 2nd week. Should be cut about 5 degrees a
week. It should be about 90 degrees the 2nd week. You
can tell if the chicks start to cheep that
they are hot they will try to get as far away from
the light as they can. If they are cold they hug the
bulb and cheep also.
The area for the brooder needs to be kept where the
temperture of the building they are in is nice and
compfy, out of any draft or wind.
I had a large glassed in porch that I kept my
brooders in for the first two weeks of the chicks
life. The afternoon sun made it really nice for the
chicks. I would use lesser wattage bulbs in the day
time if needed and up the wattage at night.
Becareful not to use a heat lamp as they need to be
at least 2 ft above the floor of the brooder or shed.
I liked regular light bulbs best. Always becareful to
not cause a fire.
The reason for two bulbs is that if one bulb burns
out during the day or nite they have a back up light
bulb and won't try to pile up and sufficate.
I also used the pieces of 1x12s for a piece of wood
under the waterer. Now have the waterer and feeders
in the box where the chicks can get to them and see
with the lighting.
Have the feed & water there for around the clock
and the chicks will eat and drink and eat and drink
around the clock. I always left the lights on the
chicks for at least 3-4 months and this gets them a
better start in life.
FIRST HATCHED CHICKS I used a large wheaties cardboard
box ( gotten at the grocery store when they fill the
sheves, they throw these away.) for the chicks
freshly hatched for about 6-7 days then I would take
the chicks and move them to the larger wooden
brooder mentioned
Keeping back a couple of the smaller chicks from the
hatch the week before. These would automatically eat
and drink and teach the newly hatched chicks to eat
and drink, like the hen would if she was tending
them.
Generally the smaller chicks from the week before
would be a couple of pullets and would not bully the
newly hatched chicks.
Now when using the cardboard box, I had the 1x4 with
the ceramic light fixture and a bulb in it, laying
over the top of the box. Secured with some weight.
Then cover the back half of the box and leave a
opening for ventilation. I had play sand in the
bottom of the box for bedding. I always used the box
if it wasn't soiled or damaged two settings of
chicks, cleaning it each time I used it. Moving the
chicks on the day I took the chicks out of the
hatcher. So as to keep the two smallest chicks
for teachers.
On Day one till day 5 I used to put either a
teaspoon of Jello ( this makes red color and attracts
the chicks to it.) or sugar in the water and as it
is colored you can see why the chicks would drink it.
The 5-6th day you can use plain water. Besure and
take each chick and dip its beak in the sugar water,
as you take them from the hatcher, as then they will
go back for more.
Have the feeder and waterer toward where the light
is as this attracts the birds to the light.
The 2nd week they were moved to the brooder boxes
made from wood then after the 3-rd week I would move
the chicks to the brooder house where it had metal
hovers with lights in it and the chicks could go to
and from the hover at will and eat and drink.
I always had a light around the drinking and feeder
area. I was not much on heat lamps as they are so
dangerous. 100 watt bulbs worked fine.
One can keep moving chicks together after 3-4 weeks
and then this allows the new batch to catch up. One
idea I always used for putting new chicks in the
brooder house was that I had the corners of the
brooder house blocked off with a bale of straw or
hay.
When all the chicks didn't want to scatter and hide
in the corners like a week or so then I removed the
bales to another building to store till the next
mixing of chicks. Chicks want to hide as they are
scared and this prevents them from piling up and
sufficating.
Some breeders take a piece of hail screen and cover
the corner areas with that. I liked the hay bales my
self.
I can remember when raising Modern Game bantams that
it was so cute that in 2-3 weeks you will have some
of the cockerels coming up on the top of the light
bulb on the 1x4 and trying to crow! You knew it was
time for them to go to the brooder house. I loved
them so.
The little Frizzle chicks were so cute as the first
thing you know it, after a couple or three weeks
they have the little frizzled wings feathers growing
out and look like they could just fly if given time!
Always keep the area around the waterers dry and
clean. As this is where the chicks get the
coccidiosis, from the bacteria growing around the
waterer. Remember that there are 9 kinds of
cocciiosis for them to get.
Use some kind of Amporolum if you can find it. If
you can't get Corrid or Amproyl 128 use Sulmet
as the bottle says.
We always used the medicated feed for chicks and
then about a month had to give Amporol. Always watch
to see how every chicken is thriving and not setting
in the corner humped up with ruffled feathers. Also
drinking only water this happens for about three days
and then they die if not medicated for Coccidiosis.
Medicated feed does not keep them immuned to
coccidiosis just prolongs the time they may not get
it.
At 4-6 weeks is the time they generally come down with
it.
Have the medication handy and give for at least a
week to 10 days. Using Amproyl 128 or Corrid is the
best there is. Also can use a wet mash for them to get
jumped started when sick with coccidiosis
WET MASH
1 qt of dry chick feed ( medicated is okay to use.
1-2 cups water
1 tsp of corrid
mix good and give in plastic feeder enough for each
chick to get 3 tsp at one time.
Do this for 3 days then quit. All the time have the 1
tsp per gallon of water of either corrid in their
drinking water for 7-10 days.
As the chickens mature selection will take place at
about week old for defects and thru the growing off
period. Don't cull any birds that don't have obvious
defects too soon. Let them molt out for third time and
then cull the bad ones.
By
Glenda L Heywood
Fanciers here is the way I used to raise chicks along
with a brooder box design, though very normal is
reasanably cheap to make and maintain. Always use two
1x4 inch boards with a ceramic light fixture screwed
on the board with plug in cord. Lay this acros the box
for warmth.
If one bulb burns out then there is a back up light
bulb so the chicks don't pile up and smother.
First you need to decide what amount of chickens you
want to raise at this time. Then purchase the chicks
at either a hatchery or a breeder. The breeders will
have the pure breeds.
You should have made up some kind of brooding
arrangements before you buy the chicks. If you have
the brooder house with a nice brooder and lights
that is great. If not this is what you can make to
get you started.
HOMEMADE BROODER BOX
I used a brooder box with a lighting fixture like
this. Using a 1"x4" board the width of the box for
length. Use a ceramic light fixture secured to the
1x4 board. Now build a brooder box for say 2 dozen
chicks about 4ftx6ft and using 1"x12" lumber cut to
fit and nail 4 sides together and then use the 1x12's
for the flooring. Nail the light board with fixture
(should have two boards as two lights are best)
across the top of the width of the brooder. One
board with fixture for light bulb at the front back
about 1 ft and the other at the back of box about 1 ft
from rear.
Now have some type of covering for at least half of
the brooder box. I used a large sheet of formica cut
to fit the brooder box half way up. If it is cold use
a little more of the covering. Leave a nice size
space for the ventilation of the brooder box,
especially at night.
I used play school sand for bedding it is very good,
using a cat litter cleaner to sift out the manure
regularly) and cleaned them at least every
5 days. Adding back new sand when cleaned.
Using 100 watt bulbs to keep the box 98 degrees ( or
if in house where warm may take less wattage.) You can
tell if chicks are cheeping and running from light it
is too hot, if they cheep and run towards the light it
is too cold)
The first week and then cut the amount of wattage of
bulbs the 2nd week. Should be cut about 5 degrees a
week. It should be about 90 degrees the 2nd week. You
can tell if the chicks start to cheep that
they are hot they will try to get as far away from
the light as they can. If they are cold they hug the
bulb and cheep also.
The area for the brooder needs to be kept where the
temperture of the building they are in is nice and
compfy, out of any draft or wind.
I had a large glassed in porch that I kept my
brooders in for the first two weeks of the chicks
life. The afternoon sun made it really nice for the
chicks. I would use lesser wattage bulbs in the day
time if needed and up the wattage at night.
Becareful not to use a heat lamp as they need to be
at least 2 ft above the floor of the brooder or shed.
I liked regular light bulbs best. Always becareful to
not cause a fire.
The reason for two bulbs is that if one bulb burns
out during the day or nite they have a back up light
bulb and won't try to pile up and sufficate.
I also used the pieces of 1x12s for a piece of wood
under the waterer. Now have the waterer and feeders
in the box where the chicks can get to them and see
with the lighting.
Have the feed & water there for around the clock
and the chicks will eat and drink and eat and drink
around the clock. I always left the lights on the
chicks for at least 3-4 months and this gets them a
better start in life.
FIRST HATCHED CHICKS I used a large wheaties cardboard
box ( gotten at the grocery store when they fill the
sheves, they throw these away.) for the chicks
freshly hatched for about 6-7 days then I would take
the chicks and move them to the larger wooden
brooder mentioned
Keeping back a couple of the smaller chicks from the
hatch the week before. These would automatically eat
and drink and teach the newly hatched chicks to eat
and drink, like the hen would if she was tending
them.
Generally the smaller chicks from the week before
would be a couple of pullets and would not bully the
newly hatched chicks.
Now when using the cardboard box, I had the 1x4 with
the ceramic light fixture and a bulb in it, laying
over the top of the box. Secured with some weight.
Then cover the back half of the box and leave a
opening for ventilation. I had play sand in the
bottom of the box for bedding. I always used the box
if it wasn't soiled or damaged two settings of
chicks, cleaning it each time I used it. Moving the
chicks on the day I took the chicks out of the
hatcher. So as to keep the two smallest chicks
for teachers.
On Day one till day 5 I used to put either a
teaspoon of Jello ( this makes red color and attracts
the chicks to it.) or sugar in the water and as it
is colored you can see why the chicks would drink it.
The 5-6th day you can use plain water. Besure and
take each chick and dip its beak in the sugar water,
as you take them from the hatcher, as then they will
go back for more.
Have the feeder and waterer toward where the light
is as this attracts the birds to the light.
The 2nd week they were moved to the brooder boxes
made from wood then after the 3-rd week I would move
the chicks to the brooder house where it had metal
hovers with lights in it and the chicks could go to
and from the hover at will and eat and drink.
I always had a light around the drinking and feeder
area. I was not much on heat lamps as they are so
dangerous. 100 watt bulbs worked fine.
One can keep moving chicks together after 3-4 weeks
and then this allows the new batch to catch up. One
idea I always used for putting new chicks in the
brooder house was that I had the corners of the
brooder house blocked off with a bale of straw or
hay.
When all the chicks didn't want to scatter and hide
in the corners like a week or so then I removed the
bales to another building to store till the next
mixing of chicks. Chicks want to hide as they are
scared and this prevents them from piling up and
sufficating.
Some breeders take a piece of hail screen and cover
the corner areas with that. I liked the hay bales my
self.
I can remember when raising Modern Game bantams that
it was so cute that in 2-3 weeks you will have some
of the cockerels coming up on the top of the light
bulb on the 1x4 and trying to crow! You knew it was
time for them to go to the brooder house. I loved
them so.
The little Frizzle chicks were so cute as the first
thing you know it, after a couple or three weeks
they have the little frizzled wings feathers growing
out and look like they could just fly if given time!
Always keep the area around the waterers dry and
clean. As this is where the chicks get the
coccidiosis, from the bacteria growing around the
waterer. Remember that there are 9 kinds of
cocciiosis for them to get.
Use some kind of Amporolum if you can find it. If
you can't get Corrid or Amproyl 128 use Sulmet
as the bottle says.
We always used the medicated feed for chicks and
then about a month had to give Amporol. Always watch
to see how every chicken is thriving and not setting
in the corner humped up with ruffled feathers. Also
drinking only water this happens for about three days
and then they die if not medicated for Coccidiosis.
Medicated feed does not keep them immuned to
coccidiosis just prolongs the time they may not get
it.
At 4-6 weeks is the time they generally come down with
it.
Have the medication handy and give for at least a
week to 10 days. Using Amproyl 128 or Corrid is the
best there is. Also can use a wet mash for them to get
jumped started when sick with coccidiosis
WET MASH
1 qt of dry chick feed ( medicated is okay to use.
1-2 cups water
1 tsp of corrid
mix good and give in plastic feeder enough for each
chick to get 3 tsp at one time.
Do this for 3 days then quit. All the time have the 1
tsp per gallon of water of either corrid in their
drinking water for 7-10 days.
As the chickens mature selection will take place at
about week old for defects and thru the growing off
period. Don't cull any birds that don't have obvious
defects too soon. Let them molt out for third time and
then cull the bad ones.
