Factory That Take Care of Chicks From Baby to Chicken
It's that time of year again, when it seems as if there are baby chicks for sale at every co-op, Tractor Supply, and pet store. It's hard to resist their little peeps and their cute faces, along with the steady supply of fresh eggs you'll get six months down the road. If you're ready to take care of baby chicks at home, good for you! Baby chicks can be a wonderful addition to your farm, homestead, or family.
But what do you need to raise baby chicks? What kind of brooder box is best? What bedding should you use? Let's take a look at what you need to know to take care of chicks.
Tip: Before you bring home that tiny box full of fluffy ping-pong balls, make sure you choose the best chicken breed for your needs.
How to Take Care of Baby Chicks at Home
Newly hatched chicks aren't that hard to care for. However, there are some essential supplies you'll need before you bring them home, as well as some best practices you should follow to keep them healthy and happy.
So, what do you need to take care of baby chicks?
1. A Brooder Box
The box or container where the chicks will live until they're old enough to go outside to the chicken coop is called a "brooder box". Having a dedicated brooder is essential for to take care of baby chicks at home.
You can usually find brooder boxes for sale at your local co-op or feed store. However, it's easy and far more economical to make your own brooder box out of something you already have at home, or something inexpensive you can pick up at Walmart.
The chicken brooder box certainly doesn't have to be elaborate. The brooder we use is actually an old wooden box we found in the barn when we bought our homestead. It sits in our minuscule laundry room, and we dance around it for a few weeks when we go out the back door or do a load of laundry. It's always a happy day when the chicks are old enough to go out to the barn.
There are many different things you can use as a brooder box when raising baby chicks, such as:
- A plastic Rubbermaid bin. This is an affordable option, but chicks will quickly outgrow most bins after two to three weeks.
- A portable child's playpen. You'll need to add bedding to absorb moisture and give the chicks something soft to nest on, and possibly put up cardboard or plastic around the netting to keep the chick's claws and beaks from getting caught.
- A large cardboard box (like an appliance box). Cardboard boxes are a cheap option, especially if you're in a hurry. However, the cardboard will quickly absorb moisture even when bedding is down, and the chicks will eat it.
- A spare bathtub. An extra bathtub can work well as long as you lay down plenty of bedding for the chicks to walk on.
Keep in mind that this is only a short list of possible options. You can find many great ideas for DIY brooders at The Prairie Homestead, Morning Chores, and Raising Happy Chickens.
Also, whatever brooder you choose is going to need some kind of lid with plenty of ventilation holes. Chicks learn how to jump after just a few days, and it won't take long before they try to jump out of the brooder.
Where to Put Your Brooder
So, where is the best place to put your brooder? For some people, the answer will be "anywhere I have room!" However, there are a few things to consider when picking a location for your brooder.
- The brooder should be located in a space or room where the temperature won't fall below 50 degrees F. Yes, the chicks will have a heat lamp (which we will cover in a moment) but they're still very vulnerable to cold temperatures.
- The location should be out of direct sunlight and kept away from areas that would cause temperature swings (such as near a vent or under an air conditioner). Chicks will thrive best in stable temperatures.
- The brooder should also be kept in a place where young children and pets can't easily grab, and possibly injure, the chicks.
- Last, put your brooder in an area where it's easy for you to take care of your baby chicks, refill their food and water, and change thee bedding.
2. You Need Heat to Take Care of Baby Chicks
Chicks don't have a warm mother hen sitting on them to keep them warm, so you must have some source of heat or they will die. And, you have two options.
First is the heat lamp. Heat lamps are inexpensive (costing between $7 to $12) and very easy to install. You just clip them to the side of the brooder box and you're good to go.
However, heat lamps pose a significant fire hazard, especially if they get knocked into the bedding by a child or pet. And, they use a ton of energy. We used a heat lamp for our first batch of chicks and, while it worked well, I hated it. I was so afraid of fire and I loathed using so much energy.
A safer, albeit more expensive option, is the Brinsea EcoGlow infra-red heater. This heater sells for around $67 on Amazon, but there is no risk of fire and it uses a fraction of the energy compared to a heat lamp. It's also great for the chicks because they can snuggle right up against the heating unit, just like they would a mother hen, with no safety issues. You can also easily raise and lower the heating unit as the chicks grow and need less heat.
I bought a Brinsea for our second batch of chicks and will never go back to a heat lamp. It's worth every penny, especially if you're going to take care of baby chicks year after year.
Keep in mind that chicks need a constant temperature of 95 degrees F their first week, and you'll need to reduce the temperature by 5 degrees F each week as they grow. Keeping a thermometer in the brooder box is helpful to stay on top of the temperature at their level.
3. Bedding
Chicks are also going to need bedding, for three reasons. First, bedding gives them something stable to walk on. Chicks that walk on a slippery surface can develop splay leg (also called spraddle leg). Bedding also soaks up fecal matter, and gives the chicks a soft and warm surface to nest in.
There are several different options when it comes to bedding.
- Pine shavings. Pine shavings make a great bedding because it smells good (when changed regularly) and is very soft. However, it creates a significant amount of dust. Avoid cedar chips, as they're toxic to chicks.
- Hay or straw. Hay or straw is another inexpensive option. However, keep in mind that it's not as absorbent as pine shavings so moisture and mold can build up fast. You'll need to clean out the brooder more often with this option.
- Sand. Sand is a good option because it absorbs moisture really well. However, you'll have to keep a close eye on the temperature because sand retains heat, and the inside of the brooder can become too hot for the chicks' feet if you're not careful.
One bedding option you should not consider is newspaper. Newspaper is very slippery and can cause chicks to develop splay leg.
As you can see, when you take care of baby chicks there's no perfect option when it comes to bedding. You'll need to weigh what you have on-hand, what you can afford, and go from there.
I use a blend of straw and pine shavings with my own chicks simply because we cut straw ourselves and have a ton stored in the coop. It's free bedding, but I do change it out frequently to keep the moisture down in the brooder box. I also supplement it with the pine shavings to keep it fresh. Keep in mind that because straw doesn't absorb moisture like pine shavings, odor will be more of a problem if you use it on its own.
4. Food and Water
Chicks must have access to food and fresh water at all times.
You'll need to purchase a bag of chick starter, which you can get at Tractor Supply, or your local co-op or feed store. Chick starter is specially formulated feed for growing birds. Your chicks will need to eat chick starter for the first 10 weeks. From 10-18 weeks your chicks will need grower feed, which has slightly less protein than chick starter.
You'll also need a chick feeder and drinker. The drinker is particularly important because chicks can easily drown in an open water dish. They can also get chilled if they get wet. This is why having an enclosed water dish is essential.
If You Raise Baby Chicks, Check for Pasty Butt
One of common condition you'll want to keep an eye if you raise baby chicks on is pasty butt. Yes, that' really what it's called. And it left untreated, it can cause a sick chick and even lead to a fatality. Case in point: we lost a chick this year to complications from pasty butt, even though I caught it early. This condition can really cause problems in delicate baby chicks.
Pasty butt happens when a chick's vent becomes clogged with excrement, most often due to stress. The waste hardens in her downy fluff, making it impossible for her to poop at all. If left untreated, it can be fatal.
Pasty butt is less of a risk once chicks are 10 days old. However, this is a condition you'll want to check for daily until they reach this age.
How to Spot Pasty Butt
To check for pasty butt, simply turn your chicks upside down to see their vent, which is just below their tale. The vent should be clear, and all you see is their down fluff. However, if you see hardened excrement it needs to be cleaned immediately.
How to Treat Pasty Butt
To treat pasty butt, take the chick to the sink and turn on some warm (not hot) running water. Put the chick's vent under the water and, using your fingers or a washcloth, massage the area gently and try to break up the hardened waste.
You can also fill a pot or bowl with warm water and stick the chick's tail end into the water to soften the waste. This is technique I use and it works out well.
Take care to keep the chick's body as dry as possible. You only want to wet the smallest area possible because chicks, especially wet chicks, chill so easily.
Once you've removed the hardened waste, rub the chick gently with a dry towel and then use a hair dryer, set on low, to dry her completely before you put her back in the brooder.
Last Word
Chicks are a joy to have around, and they really don't require that much care (at least, compared to taking care of ducklings!) Keeping them at the right temperature, and keeping their bedding fresh, are the two most important ways to take care of baby chicks at home.
If you already have hens, keep in mind that you need to introduce new chickens to a flock slowly, over the course of a few weeks, to make sure that bullying and aggressive behavior is kept to a minimum.
What questions do you have about how to care for chicks?
Factory That Take Care of Chicks From Baby to Chicken
Source: https://thegreenestacre.com/how-to-take-care-of-baby-chicks/
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