5 Tips on Raising Chickens ...

By Aprille

5 Tips on Raising Chickens ...

My parents picked up 25 chicks on their honeymoon and were told that some of the chicks wouldn’t make it. Well, all 25 lived to be large red hens, which were still alive and well by the time I was old enough to help care for them. Since then, I’ve always had at least a few hens and a rooster running around the yard. Here are 5 tips on raising chickens that I’ve picked up over the years.

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5

Slowly Decrease the Temperature

Don’t place your chicks directly from their warm environment into the barnyard once they reach 6 weeks of age. It’s easier on the chicks if you slowly reduce the temperature for them and wean them off of the heat lamp. I give chicks the option to go back under the heat lamp whenever they want by removing a side of the brooding box and allowing them to come and go as they please. This way they can leave when they get too warm and come back to the heat lamp if they become chilled.

4

Keep Them out of Drafts

When chicks are raised by their mother, she is able to protect them from the elements by simply tucking them under her wing. You’ll need to have a brooding box set up to keep the chicks protected from cold drafts and sudden temperature changes. There are quite a few websites with examples of various brooding boxes. They range from old aquariums to handmade wooden structures.

3

Show the Chicks Their Water Source

Chicks learn by instruction, so you’ll have to take each chick and gently dip their beak in the water source you’ve provided for them. Be sure to not get water in their nares (nostrils) when dipping their beak. You only need to do this process once, in order for them to know where to get a drink from.

2

Chicks Require Special Food

These tiny chickens can’t eat the large scratch that the hens and roosters eat. There is a special feed called Chick Starter and it is small enough for chicks to eat without having pieces get stuck in their throats. Starter feed is sold at feed stores everywhere and is usually fed to the chicks for the first 6 weeks.

1

Have a Heat Source for the Chicks

You’ll need to have a heat lamp for the chicks to huddle under. If you have a large number of chicks, then be sure to have enough heat lamps for them all to stay warm at the same time. You don’t want anyone left out in the cold!

If you are new to raising chickens, then hopefully these tips will get you started in the right direction. I currently have just two laying hens and one feathery alarm clock, but they keep my small family supplied with plenty of eggs and composting material for the garden. Are there any other tips that should be added to this list? What made you decide to raise chickens?

Top Photo Credit: Domain Barnyard

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