Experts offer tips to set baby chicks up for success
Spring represents rebirth, renewal and new beginnings, and it is especially heartwarming on the farm or ranch, where producers begin welcoming new members to the flock or herd.
This is also true for individuals in rural and urban areas with backyard hobby flocks, which have recently surged in popularity, as eggs start to hatch and chicks make their way to feed stores nationwide.
Whether one is expanding their flock or starting it from scratch, experts offer reminders on best care practices for raising baby chicks.
Preparing the brooder
Multiple sources note the best way to set chicks up for success is to be prepared before they even arrive.
The brooder should be prepared 24 to 48 hours in advance to allow time for bedding and equipment to dry out and the temperature to settle.
Options for brooders include anything from a cardboard box or metal stock tank to a plastic tote or pop-up playpen, although it is recommended to use something appropriately sized for the number of chicks an individual plans on getting.
A basic chick care guide published by Scratch and Peck Feeds recommends three-fourths to one square foot per chick, noting the space will need to last for about six to eight weeks and chicks will grow fast.
The brooder should be set up in a warm, draft-free environment where chicks can live for at least two weeks or until temperatures reach 60-plus degrees Fahrenheit.
Brooders should be furnished with a good source of heat, dry bedding, roosts, feeders, waterers and a lot of light.
Experts note it is essential to fill brooders with two to three inches of dry, absorbent bedding, such as pine shavings, hemp bedding, chopped straw, oat hulls or ground cobs. Some also recommend laying down newspaper or puppy pee pads under the bedding for easier cleanup.
It is important to note, cedar shavings or other strong-smelling materials should be avoided, as they have been proven to negatively affect chicks’ long-term health.
Regardless of the material, bedding should be changed at least every other day, and wet bedding should be removed daily, especially around waterers.
It is also important to provide a place for baby chicks to practice roosting and give them something to do when they start to get active in the brooder. Roosts can be anything from pre-made roosting poles, stacks of bricks, thick sticks or pieces of wood, among other things.
Heat and light
Heat is another crucial element when caring for baby chicks.
Sources like Purina Animal Nutrition LLC and Tractor Supply Company recommend using red-light heat lamps hung about 20 inches above the litter and 2.5 to three feet from the guard walls.
The comfort zone beneath the light should remain at 95 degrees Fahrenheit. After one week, heat should be reduced by five degrees Fahrenheit each subsequent week until reaching a minimum of 55 degrees.
“If chicks are crowded together directly under the heat source, then they are cold. If they are around the edges of the brooding area, they are likely to hot. Adjust the height of the lamp accordingly and give them enough room to move in and out of the light to regulate their body temperatures,” comment the experts at Tractor Supply.
Other sources like Scratch and Peck Feeds note the dangers of using heat lamps and urge individuals to opt for alternative heat sources instead, such as a brooder plate.
“This is a heated plate with legs chicks can crawl under when they are cold, then come out to eat, drink and play. It should be started fairly close to the ground and raised as chicks grow,” Scratch and Peck Feeds explains. “This setup is much more similar to the way a mother hen raises her chicks.”
“Besides not being a fire hazard, brooder plates allow chicks to wean themselves off of heat naturally. It will be easy to tell when they are done using the heat and ready for the coop because they will stop going underneath it,” the feed company adds.
Feed and water
As with all animals, food and water are also important considerations.
Multiple sources agree providing chicks room temperature water upon arrival is critical to ensure they rehydrate as they settle in.
“For every 25 chicks, fill two one-quart waterers with room temperature water and place in the brooder,” Purina states. “To help water stay at room temperature, place waterers in the brooder, outside of the comfort zone, 24 hours prior to chicks’ arrival.”
Once chicks arrive, they should be introduced to their new water source. However, feed should be withheld for the first couple of hours.
“Dip the beaks of several chicks into the water to help them locate it,” says Purina. “These chicks will then teach the rest of the group to drink. Monitor the group to ensure all chicks are drinking within the first couple of hours.”
Some experts recommend adding electrolytes and vitamins to water during the first week, and others suggest using a chick fountain instead of saucers or make-shift containers that spill easily, leading to messy, wet and unsanitary brooder conditions.
After chicks have a chance to hydrate, they should be offered a complete chick starter ration with 20 percent protein for needed energy; prebiotics, probiotics and yeast for immune health and vitamins and minerals for bone health.
To teach chicks to eat, experts advise placing feed on clean egg flats, shallow pans or sheets of paper when they first arrive. Then on the second day, feeders can be added to the brooder.
Purina recommends using low-lying or trough feeders and offering four linear inches of feeder space per chick.
To keep feed fresh, feeders and waterers should be emptied, cleaned and refilled daily. It is also recommended to raise the height of feeders and waterers so they are level with chicks’ backs as they grow and to switch rations as needed to provide an adequate plane of nutrition.
Transitioning outside
As temperatures increase to 60 degrees Fahrenheit and above and chicks begin to grow and feather, it is recommended to let them spend short periods of time outside.
Experts note it is important to keep an eye on chicks’ cues, as panicked, loud-chirping likely means chicks need to be brought back inside. It is also important to keep an eye out for predators.
“Keep an eye on them and provide a tray of sand so they can dust. When working with chicks, remember slow movements are less apt to frighten them,” experts at Tractor Supply remark. “Thoroughly wash hands with soap and water after handling or working around chicks. Salmonella, a common cause of food borne illness, can be spread by direct contact with animals which carry the bacteria. Hygiene is very important to keep you, your birds and your family healthy.”
Before moving chicks to an outdoor coop full time, they must be fully feathered and no longer need heat to keep warm. This usually happens around six to eight weeks.
If using a heat lamp, chicks should be gradually weaned off of the heat source.
Some experts advise keeping young birds in the coop and/or run until they start laying eggs to ensure they are using nesting boxes and to keep them safe from predators when they are too small to defend themselves.
The Scratch and Peck Feeds guide reads, “Spend some time showing them where their food and water is located. At dusk, show them where to sleep. Young chickens tend to want to huddle together on the floor of the coop. Sometimes you have to pick them up and put them on the roosts. This might go on for a few nights until they figure it out.”
“If you have an automatic door, check on them until they all figure out when the door goes down and they need to be inside before it happens,” the guide continues. “Alternatively, you can keep them locked in the coop for a few nights before giving them access to the run. This helps them know the coop as home base.”
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
