Raising Baby Chicks

Little peeps can be heard this time of year at your local feed store. I can't help but pet their fuzzy little heads and remember years of raising chicks as a child. If you are about to embark on the adventure of raising your own chicks here are a few important things to consider.
-Their Home
-Their Food & Water
- Keep them Warm
- Keep them Clean

1. Their Home

Whether it be a cardboard box or a wire cage make sure that the chicks have enough room to run around and to sleep. The recommended space is 2 square feet per chick. This may sound like a lot but they grow fast, so even if they don't need this space right away they will need it eventually! The sides should be high enough that they can't jump out and that nothing can get to them that shouldn't. It needs to be well ventilated as well. The bottom should be lined with about 1" of pine shavings and should be changed often. These little guys sure can make a mess! (do not use cedar shavings). Although it's tempting to use newspaper it can get slippery when wet and can also result in the chicken's legs being splayed out.

Chicks love to roost when they get a little bit older. Having a small roost (think about 1/2" in diameter dowel) can keep them from perching on things that you'd rather them not stand on such as their feeding dishes!  

                                                      
                                                      
                                             2. Their Food & Water
The key to choosing a feeder and a watering dish is containment! Even though they are small, chicks still scratch and will fling their food all over if they get the chance. They will also poop in their food and water dishes so the design can help minimize this. Having a waterer made specifically for chicks, such as the one on the left, can also prevent drowning. Make sure you switch out the water & food at least daily if not more depending on the number of chicks and how messy they are.
Chicks start out eating "crumbles". There are two kinds of crumbles, medicated and non-medicated. Baby chicks are prone to Coccidiosis and the medicated food can help prevent this. If you aren't feeding medicated food keeping their living space clean is even more vital!

3. Keep Them Warm
These little guys need to be kept pretty warm. The first week of their lives they need to be kept around 95 degrees, the second week they need to be kept at 90 degrees and then the temperature can keep being decreased by 5 degrees each week until they are ready to go outside.
The chicks should have their feathers between 5-8 weeks old.
In order to keep them warm you will need to use a 250-watt infrared heat lamp.(we recommend the red heat bulb) Placing this suspended in the middle of their living area is the best way  to achieve this. The height of the lamp will depend on the temperature that you are trying to achieve. A good way to judge if the heat is correct is by watching how the chicks behave. If they are huddled together directly underneath the lamp then they are probably cold. If they are all by the edges of their house (a.k.a. the brooder), as if they are avoiding the lamp and each other then they are probably too hot! Happy chicks will be wandering around their house and seem comfortable.

4. Keep them Clean
Sanitation is an extremely important part of keeping your chicks healthy. Changing their food, water & bedding frequently may seem like a hassle, but it really makes a difference. Also, keep an eye out to make sure the chicks aren't "pasting up". This happens when the droppings get stuck on their backsides and dry which prevents them from pooping and can result in death! So either use a damp paper towel or warm water to resolve this problem. Even though the little chick will squawk for all its worth, know you are helping it!

                                  
Outside Time
Chicks can have outside play time once they are about 3 weeks old. Make sure that it is warm enough outside (around 70 degrees) and that you have a close eye on them. They are deceivingly fast and are small enough to get into tight quarters. If you have a wire run or boundaries for them, even better!
By the time they are around 5-7 weeks old they are ready to join the outside world. Make sure your coop is ready before they are!


In case you're wondering when your chicks will start to lay eggs (the hens of course!), the answer is around 6-7 months old. The eggs will start out slow and production will slow in the winter unless they are kept really warm and the temperatures are around the same as the summer months. There is no set age when hens stop laying, but production starts to drop off around year 2 or 3.