Tips on Raising Baby Chicks

[kyeschicks]

Would you give me some advice/tips on how to take good care of my baby chicks so that they grow safe and healthy

ANY advice/tips would be greatly appreciated. I'm getting some chicks on April 15 and every time I raise chicks... lets just say its been unsuccessful. This are some main questions that I have.

1. What should I feed them? for how long?
2. What should I feed them when they're fully grown?
3. What type of bedding should I use?
4. Do I need to have them under a heat-lamp?

Thanks

...one more thing... In case you need to know they're all bantams.

 

[Gonzo]

Ok, to answer your questions, They will eat chicker starter/grower until point of lay. When they begin to lay, you'll want to feed layer pellets.
You'll want a 250 watt red heat lamp. Baby chicks need to be kept at 95 degrees the first week, decreasing 5 degrees every week until feathered out.
You'll want to use paper towels for the first week, then use wood shavings. Make sure you don't het cedar.. It's poisonous to chickens.
Hope this helps!

 

[kyeschicks]

gonzo&hispeeps :

Ok, to answer your questions, They will eat chicker starter/grower until point of lay. When they begin to lay, you'll want to feed layer pellets.
You'll want a 250 watt red heat lamp. Baby chicks need to be kept at 95 degrees the first week, decreasing 5 degrees every week until feathered out.
You'll want to use paper towels for the first week, then use wood shavings. Make sure you don't het cedar.. It's poisonous to chickens.
Hope this helps!

Thanks it did help

 

[kyeschicks]

Anyone else? please

 

[crittergal]

Hmm, thanks, I didn't realize cedar was poisonous to chickens. But I did know that Teflon is!!!! Some friends got about 8 chicks last year, and they used a teflon pan, and it killed all but 2 of them. so make sure you use feeders made for chickens, or sometimes I use plastic dog/cat dishes if I only have a few chicks.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
My chicks were too hot at 95. Mine liked 90 better and decreased by 5 degrees each week. Make sure you have an area they can get away from the heat. (you can overheat them) Watch the chicks, if they are piling on top of each other they are too cold. Panting or lethargic looking they are too hot. Snuggled together, but not piled on top of each other or cruising around the brooder, they are just right.

Feed them chick starter. I buy a 50 lb bag and use it till it runs out. With 5 chicks I ran out at 12 weeks and then I put them on flock raiser.

When they are grown, you can feed them a layer feed or flock raiser. I switched to flock raiser when I had a couple ladies molting.(for the added protein) I noticed there is a lot less waste with the flock raiser than the layer feed. (layer feed has oyster shell and bits of corn, so they spill the feed out to get to the corn) Right now I'm mixing the two. Once my layer feed is gone, I'll only feed flock raiser with oyster shell provided on the side.

For bedding, pine shavings work great. You can get a big bale of it for about $5 here. It keeps everything nice and dry. Put paper towels over the bedding for the first week or so until they know what's for eating and what's not for eating. Never use cedar.

Yes, you need a heat lamp for AT LEAST 6 weeks. Maybe longer depending on the temps in your area. Decrease the heat 5 degrees each week by raising the lamp. Make sure you have the lamp secured in more than 1 way so if it breaks you don't have a fire. I use a chain and then secure 3 or 4 zip ties as well, so there's no chance of it falling into the bedding. If you decrease the temps 5 degrees each week you are also acclimating them to lower temps, so it's not a shock to their bodies when you put them in the coop.

If you are worried about them drowning, you can put marbles in their waterer. They can drown in really shallow water. I didn't do this in my first batch of chicks (didn't know any different, that was before I joined here) and I didn't lose any. But with my 2nd chicks, I did put marbles in the waterer just in case.

I think that covers it. Have fun!

 

[BarredBuff]

Quote:
1. Based on the purina feed guidelines feed them Start n Grow until they are 18 weeks old medicated all the way so that they have an immunity to cocidia
2. If you feed with purina the feed them Layena after they are 18 weeks old
3. You need to use pine shavings
4. Yes that will act as the broody hen they need to be under that lamp for atleast 6 weeks although I am gonna keep them under under it until they are 8 weeks old

 

[TXmom]

I agree with all of the above, but I have one thing to add, especially since you said they're bantams.

If you're using Purina Start and Grow, then you should "powderize" the crumbles for at least the first week. Some brands of chick starter are already like powder, but the Purina crumbles are bigger. I thought the crumbles were small enough for the chicks, but when I watched them closely, I noticed that they picked up the crumbles and then dropped them...they were just too big to eat. So I started putting them in my Magic Bullet (small blender) to crush them up smaller. Then the babies ate very well. It's amazing how much those little peepers eat!

Enjoy your babies!