Mia Patel
Raising chicks at home can be a fun and rewarding experience for the whole family, but it requires careful preparation and dedicated care. Before bringing home your chicks, it's essential to set up a safe and comfortable brooding area, ensuring it is warm, draft-free, and spacious enough for the number of chicks you plan to keep. Once your chicks arrive, they will need immediate access to water, and you should teach them how to drink and eat. Providing the right nutrition from day one is crucial, and you should consult a veterinarian if you have any concerns. As your chicks grow, their nutritional needs will change, so ensure you adjust their feed accordingly. Chicks require a warm environment until they are fully feathered, and you should carefully monitor the temperature to prevent overheating. With dedication and proper care, your chicks will grow into happy and healthy adult chickens.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Bedding | Large pine shavings, rice hulls, straw, hay |
| Brooder | A large box with walls at least 18 inches high, placed in a safe area away from drafts and pets. Use a screen or towel to cover the box. |
| Temperature | 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit for the first week. Reduce by 5 degrees each week until chicks are a month old. |
| Water | Room temperature, available at all times. |
| Feed | 20% protein starter ration for the first 8-10 weeks, then switch to 18-19% chick grower. |
| Salmonella | Live poultry may carry Salmonella germs, so always wash your hands before and after handling chicks. |
| Space | 0.5-1 square foot of space per chick for the first two weeks, then increase to one square foot per chick. |
| Roosting | Provide roosting poles or bricks so chicks can perch a few inches off the ground. |
| Training | Teach chicks to be friendly and not aggressive by using food as a reward for good behavior. |
| Sleep | Show chicks where to sleep at dusk. |
| Timing | Spring is the ideal time to bring home chicks as it is easier to regulate their brooder temperature. |
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What You'll Learn
Set up a brooder box with bedding and a heat lamp
To set up a brooder box with bedding and a heat lamp, you'll need to plan ahead. Set up the brooder box at least 24 to 48 hours before the chicks arrive to ensure the temperature is stable and any moisture from the bedding has dried. The brooder box should be large enough to provide each chick with 0.5 to 1 square foot of space, and the walls should be at least 18 inches high. Place the box in a safe area, away from drafts and pets, and cover it with a screen or towel.
For bedding, use absorbent and odour-free materials such as pinewood shavings, straw, rice hulls, or hay. Avoid small shavings, sawdust, and sand, as chicks may eat them, causing health issues. Cover the entire brooder area with 3 to 4 inches of bedding, and 3 to 5 inches on concrete floors.
To provide warmth, use a heat lamp with a red or white bulb of 250 watts, securely fastened to prevent fires. The bottom of the bulb should be 24 to 30 inches above the bedding, and the temperature should be maintained between 92 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit for the first two weeks. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature at chick level.
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Provide chick starter feed with protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals
Chicks need to be fed a starter feed from day one until they are around 18 weeks old. This feed should include at least 18% protein, or 20% according to another source, to support their energy needs during this early growth stage. It should also contain amino acids for muscle and feather development, as well as prebiotics, probiotics and yeast for immune health.
Amino acids in the diet lessen nitrogen loss during metabolism, which leads to lower ammonia excretion and improved growth performance. Chromium supplementation, for example, boosts the immune function of chicks vaccinated for the Avian Influenza Virus.
The feed should also contain vitamins and minerals to support bone health. Phosphorous and trace minerals, for example, are important for bone strength. Marigold extract is also included in some feeds for brighter-coloured beaks, feet and legs.
Starter feeds such as Purina® Start & Grow® and Purina® Organic Starter-Grower contain 18% protein and 1.25% calcium for bone and body growth. These feeds also contain prebiotics and probiotics for immune and digestive health.
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Ensure access to clean, fresh water at all times
Water is essential for keeping chicks healthy. It is important to ensure that your chicks always have access to clean, fresh water. Before your chicks arrive, fill their waterers with room-temperature water and place them in the brooder, outside the comfort zone, and away from the heat lamp. This will help the water stay at room temperature.
Once your chicks arrive, introduce them to the brooding area and dip their beaks in the water to help them locate it. This is especially important because chicks are often thirsty when they arrive, and dehydration can increase chick mortality. Monitor the group to ensure all chicks are drinking within the first couple of hours.
After the chicks have had a chance to rehydrate, provide them with nutrients through a complete chick starter feed. It is important to provide enough feeder and water space for chicks to reduce competition and allow all chicks equal access to feed and water. It is recommended that you provide 1-2 linear inches of feeder space per chick during the first six weeks, increasing to 4 linear inches at week 7.
You will want to check the water several times a day to make sure it is clean and full. You can also add electrolytes and vitamins to their water for at least the first week.
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Teach chicks to eat and drink, and how not to drown
Chicks need to be taught to eat and drink, and how to do so safely, to prevent them from drowning or becoming dehydrated.
When chicks hatch, they will initially feed off their nutrition from the yolk, but it is important to get them to eat and drink independently as soon as possible. The sooner they learn to eat and drink, the stronger they will be. A mama hen will teach her chicks to eat and drink by leading them off the nest and showing them how to scratch and peck for food and water. Without a mama hen, chicks will need to be taught by their human caregiver. To teach chicks to eat, place feed on clean egg flats, shallow pans, or squares of paper. You can also place food on paper towels and block the chicks from roaming so they are forced to eat. After a couple of days, introduce proper feeders to the pens and remove the paper, pans, or egg flats. It is important to ensure that chicks do not eat their bedding, as this can be dangerous for them. Use large pine shavings, rice hulls, straw, or hay as bedding, and avoid small shavings, sawdust, sand, or cedar shavings.
To teach chicks to drink, it is recommended to dip their beaks gently in the water, placing a drop of water on their beak with your finger. You can also tap your finger on the bottom of the water dish to get their attention, then shine a pointer into the water and move it around, encouraging the chicks to peck and thus get a drink. It is important to ensure that the water is at room temperature to prevent chicks from getting chilled while drinking. To prevent drowning, use a small waterer designed for baby chicks, which will be too small for them to fall into and too shallow for them to drown in. Alternatively, fill the trough with rocks, marbles, or clean pebbles so that the chicks can drink from the gaps without falling in.
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Keep chicks warm and comfortable
Keeping chicks warm is essential for their health and comfort. Before bringing home your chicks, set up a brooding area, or brooder, in a safe, draft-free space away from household pets. Use a large box with walls at least 18 inches high, or a metal tank in an enclosed outbuilding if you have a larger number of chicks. Cover the box with a screen or towel.
The brooder should be set up at least 24 hours in advance to allow the temperature to stabilise. Use a heat lamp to maintain a temperature of 92-95 degrees Fahrenheit (or 95-100 degrees for the first two weeks if your chicks are very young). The bottom of the bulb should be 24 to 30 inches above the bedding. You can use a drop light with a reflector shield and a 250-watt bulb. Keep a thermometer at chick level to monitor the temperature.
Chicks need to be kept warm until they are fully feathered. As they start to feather, you can put them in a wire pen outside for short periods on warm, draft-free days. Provide a tray of sand for them to dust.
Bedding is important for warmth and comfort. Cover the brooder area with absorbent, odour-free bedding such as pine shavings, straw, hay or rice hulls. Use 3 to 5 inches of bedding on concrete floors, and 1 to 3 inches on other surfaces.
Water should be provided at room temperature to prevent chicks from getting chilled while drinking. Always ensure they have access to clean, fresh water.
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Frequently asked questions
The three essentials for raising a baby chick are warmth, water, and feed. Set up a brooder—the first home for new chicks—at least 24 hours before they arrive. The brooder should be comfortable, warm, and draft-free with at least 3 to 4 square feet of space per chick. Use a heat lamp to maintain a temperature of around 95 degrees Fahrenheit for the first week.
Provide unlimited access to fresh water and a chick starter feed with at least 18% protein. For every 25 chicks, fill two 1-quart waterers with room-temperature water and place them in the brooder, outside the comfort zone. Chicks will also need to be taught how not to drown in a waterer by raising it one inch above the floor.
When the chicks first arrive, dip their beaks in the water as you place them into the brooding area. They will be thirsty. After a couple of hours of rehydration, provide them with nutrients through a chick starter feed. At dusk, show them where to sleep. Young chickens tend to huddle together on the floor of the coop, so you may need to pick them up and put them on the roosts.
Only buy from NPIP-certified breeders or hatcheries to ensure proper testing for diseases. Chicks should be lively, eating and drinking, and free from injuries.
Wash your hands before and after handling chicks. Move slowly to avoid frightening them. Spend time holding them if you want them to be friendly and cuddly as adults.
