|
Watch the video for helpful ways to get started raising chicks.
|
|
Baby Chick Care...101
Proper management is essential to raising healthy chicks.
Here are a few guidelines to help you raise your chicks...
| |
Environment: Keep It Clean, Keep It Dry
Provide warm, dry housing without drafts. Make enclosure predator proof. Clean and disinfect housing, feeders and waterers before chicks arrive. Disinfect regularly. Litter (bedding) should be 2"-5" deep; use wood shavings, straw, etc.
Space Requirement: Now Crowding Allowed
HATCH UNTIL 6 WEEKS: 0.8-1.0 square feet per chick
6 WEEKS AND OLDER: 1.0-2.0 square feet per chick
Temperature: Avoid The Big Chill
Day old, 90 - 95 degrees F. Heat lamp or light bulb, approximately 20" above chicks. Heat in advance, raise light to adjust temperature. Place thermometer at chick level. Comfort can be observed. If chicks huddle under light, it's too cold. If chicks huddle in corners, it's too hot. Reduce 5 degrees F each week until minimum of 65 degrees F.
Water: Whet Their Whistles
One 1 -quart fount per 25 chicks. Use fresh, cool (not cold) water; clean daily. Disinfect waterers prior to use and then weekly. Dip beaks to induce drinking. Elevate waterer after first week to reduce contamination from litter. Waterer should not be higher than the chick's back. Double waterer capacity at 6 weeks.
Turkey Poults:
Slower to understand eating and drinking, watch closely first few days. To get poults started, dip beaks in water and feed.
Ducklings/Goslings:
May swim in water after 4 weeks. Keep dry until then. Place marbles in the waterer to reduce splashing.
Feed:
Feeder (s): One foot long per 25 chicks. Keep full at all times, scatter start and grow ration on newspapers first 2-3 days to encourage eating.
Free-Range and Confined Chickens:
BACKYARD EGG PRODUCERS, SMALL TO MEDIUM BREEDS AND FANCY AND EXOTIC BREEDS. Feed start and Grow feed until 18-20 weeks old and then switch to Layena Feed. For best egg production, use artificial light in laying house to create a maximum 17-18 hour day. Do not decrease the length of lighting period when flocks are in production.
Free-Range and Confined Chickens, Ducks and Geese:
BACKYARD FLOCK, MEAT BIRDS, AND MEDIUM TO HEAVY BREEDS: Feed Flock Raiser feed to finish. Pullets being kept for egg production should be fed Layena feed beginning at 18-20 weeks.
Ducklings/Goslings:
Feed Flock Raiser feed from hatch on. (DO NOT FEED MEDICATED FEED TO DUCKLINGS/GOSLINGS)
Turkey Poults:
Use Game Bird Startena feed 0-10 weeks, Flock Raiser Feed 10-18 weeks and finish with Layena Feed.
|
|
