
Thanks Darrell Romney for the pictures above
PICKING Dissorder: Baby chicks will often pick at each other if they are too hot, too crowded, without fresh air; or short of room. Occasionally, a bright light also causes them to pick. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to picking. Sometimes, however, they pick for no apparent reason. Put some green greass clippings to try to stop it, try to darken the room
EMERGENCY FEED - Finely chopped boiled eggs. Peaple have been doing this for hunderds of years bilive me it works
GIVE EXTRA ATTENTION: to any chick or chicks not starting to eat. That has been getting pecked at seprat it from the rest of the chicks until it looks healthey enough.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS: Always wash your hands well after handling birds, their equipment and poultry manure. Do not kiss or nuzzle any of your birds. Always supervise young children around birds, making sure they wash their hands well.
Shelter: Setting up a baby chick house also known as a brooder. Baby chicks need to be protected from drafts but still have adequate ventilation. The brooder can be a box, a storage bin, or even a kiddy pool. The box should have with holes for ventilation, a single-faced corrugated cardboard roll. The brooder should be up to 12" high or bigger.
Heating: A 250 watt infrared light bulb is good enough for every 50 chicks. The temperature should be up to 90-95 for the first week after that reduce by 5 degrees each week. until room temperature.
Water: For the first few days add 4 tbs. per gallon of water. 1 tbs. per quart of water. Clean and refill water daily to keep clean. If you have day old birds dip there beak into the water this helps the bird to know how to drink. For baby bantams use rock and cover the bowl with them to help them not to drown.
Litter: I always feel the floor with feed for the first 3 days of life. This makes it easier for the chicks to find food. Never use news paper, because it can cause Spraddle Leg. Some times I use paper towel. Another option is the brooder floor should be covered in a small holed hardware cloth. The cloth helps the new chick develop its walk, and also helps prevent splayed leg and curled toes.
Feed: A chick starter feed will be good enough. You can buy poultry feed ( chick starter ) at you local feed store.
Always keep a extra light bulb (Incease one of the light bulbs burns out)
The above diractions remains the same exept for the following. Temperature set at 90 degrees. Adjust feed and water for growth.
The above directions remain the same except for the following. Temperature set at 85, lighting for 8-10 hours. Adjust feed and water for growth.
The above directions remain the same except for the following. Set the temperature at 80 - 75, 10 - 12 hours of light each day. Adjust feed and water for growth.
It is now the time to prepare the coop area for the chicks arrival. If there are already hens or roosters coop, seperate a smaller area, from the mail coop for the chicks protiction.
Important: Provide chicks protection form heavy winds and rain.
By now the chicks should be feathering out nicely. Wing feathers should be complete, and tail and neck feathers should be close to complete.
During this week the chicks should be allowed time to adjust to the outside coop. They should be brought out on days when the temp is above 70 and no rain, then brought back in at night. If you see chicks huddling up, provide a heat lamp.
If the temprature is about 65 and the chicks have adjusted, they can know remain outdoors. They can intergrate, if there are any adults. Just incease, its always a good idea to keep a small heat source near, incease temprature decreases rapaildy. Good luck with your chicks!
And if you fallow my instrutions above, you should end up with a full grown bird or birds just like the hand rasied chicken I hatched above.