How to Rear Baby Chickens
Baby chicks, cute balls of fluff they may be, require particular and careful care to thrive. Your fledgling flock is susceptible to a host of diseases and developmental problems. However, following precise steps will bring your baby chicks from hatchlings to fully feathered chickens ready for the coop. The main requirements for these first 60 days of a chick's life include a properly outfitted brooder, well-regulated temperatures, food and water, and appropriate care.
Instructions
1. Prepare the brooder. You must choose a suitable brooder to house the chicks the minute they come out of the incubator. Although prefabricated brooders are available, most small-scale, home operations can use a small animal cage (such as one appropriate for gerbils), an aquarium or even a cardboard box. The floor of the brooder must have a layer of clean pine shavings on the bottom. The litter should be changed often (every few days) and should never get damp. Your chicks are very susceptible to disease and must be kept in a hygienic environment.
2. Regulate the temperature. To keep the chicks comfortable, the brooder must kept warm, usually via a 100-watt bulb with a reflector hood. This, or another suitable lamp, is available at most hardware stores. Temperatures of 90 to 100 degrees F is ideal for the first seven to 10 days, decreasing by 5 degrees F each week until the chicks have feathers to protect them (around six weeks after hatching). To control the temperature, move the lamp closer to or farther from the brooder. If the chicks are too hot, they will try to avoid the light; if they're too cold, they will crowd near it. Adjust the temperature to suit their needs.
3. Give the chicks plenty of food and water. Acquire a feeder and waterer from a pet shop or online. Both should be designed to stay in place and keep the chicks from getting their food and water dirty. The food chicks eat is this stage is called "crumbles" and provides a complete nutritional system for them. However, introducing them to bugs or worms after a few weeks will entertain them endlessly and provide extra nourishment. Chicks have no prescribed feeding schedule--just keep them well-stocked with food and clean water at all times. Check on them often, as they grow very quickly and tend to soil their water bowls easily.
4. Allow the chicks to explore a warm, outdoor area for a short period of time as they mature. They are very vulnerable during the first two weeks, but after that outdoor experience will satisfy their curiosity and get them ready for life in the coop. Keep an eye on them, because they can get lost, stuck or eaten easily.
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