Topic of the Week - Raising Chicks

[akroberts1085]

This is my new brooder. I have a space heater for my chicks to be warm. My first 2 chicks were very scared of me when I tried to get close to them now I am trying to take a different route with my 4 new chicks. As you can see there's a big difference in the brooders.

Also I had to buy a wooden rabbit hutch for them and now my 2 girls give me lots of love and talks. The grown girls are RIR'S and their names are Darlin and Little One. My 4 new chicks are Easter Egger, Black Sex Links and a White Leghorn. The WL is Penny, the BSL is Peppa, the light colored EE is Cinnamon and the darker EE is Bernadebt.

 

[KayChickMom29]

Hi all! I've had my first batch of chicks ever for about 3 weeks now (TSC estimated they were about a week old when I got them). And I've been learning a lot, especially just about the brooder set up. And mine has changed a few times already. Now I'm brooding in their coop at 4 weeks old. Our temps get down to the 30s with days ranging anywhere from the 50s-70s.

 

[BlackHenCoop]

View attachment 2987154

With Spring only a few weeks away many chicken owners are thinking about hatching or buying chicks to raise during the warmer months. I would like to hear your thoughts and tips on buying and raising chicks. Specifically:

- What preparations do you make before hatching/buying chicks?
- Tell me about your brooder(s); Also, do you brood indoors or outdoors?
- How to raise healthy, strong chicks. (Supplements/Feed/Heat management, etc)

Anything you'd like to add?


For a complete list of our Topic of the Week threads, see here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive

I never really know when to expect my only hatching hen Raven to get broody, but it’s typically at the very very beginning of spring. Then she’ll just do her thing, hatching 2 chicks everytime (never more never less weirdly enough). We have at least 10+ hens laying every day, but she just kicks them out. Raven is a black Orpington, she’s turning 4 (I believe) this year. She’s the only hen we have ever trusted to hatch chicks. She does amazing raising them, and is super protective but also friendly.
This year she was hatching 2 duck eggs, but we have a cannibal chicken issue, so we came to check on her and the eggs one day and there was only one duck egg, I moved the duck egg into the incubator inside, and replaced it with 3 small white hen eggs, but same thing happened, there was only one when we checked on her one day. But she has been super protective of this one egg, and it’s doing great. I know people will tell me to move it into an incubator, but I prefer letting Raven take care of them. This year she’s hatching in the duck nesting box for some reason, it might just be easier for her age.

this an old picture of her with 2 chicks she hatched.

 

[Molpet]

I never really know when to expect my only hatching hen Raven to get broody, but it’s typically at the very very beginning of spring. Then she’ll just do her thing, hatching 2 chicks everytime (never more never less weirdly enough). We have at least 10+ hens laying every day, but she just kicks them out. Raven is a black Orpington, she’s turning 4 (I believe) this year. She’s the only hen we have ever trusted to hatch chicks. She does amazing raising them, and is super protective but also friendly.
This year she was hatching 2 duck eggs, but we have a cannibal chicken issue, so we came to check on her and the eggs one day and there was only one duck egg, I moved the duck egg into the incubator inside, and replaced it with 3 small white hen eggs, but same thing happened, there was only one when we checked on her one day. But she has been super protective of this one egg, and it’s doing great. I know people will tell me to move it into an incubator, but I prefer letting Raven take care of them. This year she’s hatching in the duck nesting box for some reason, it might just be easier for her age.View attachment 4103203this an old picture of her with 2 chicks she hatched.

It's not always a cannibal.
They will eat eggs that go bad.
So it doesn't draw predators

 

[BlackHenCoop]

It's not always a cannibal.
They will eat eggs that go bad.
So it doesn't draw predators

They eat eggs all the time, and I collect eggs every day. The fertilized eggs they ate were doing great! I had candled them that morning and saw them moving and all their healthy veins.

 

[matheny00]

Make sure the brooder is spacious enough for the number of chicks and that there is both a warm area and a cooler area where they can go to regulate their body temperatures. I watch the chicks' behaviour in the brooder to see if they are comfortable. Too hot and they will spread out as far as possible away from the heat source and possibly breathe with open beaks (panting almost). Too cold and they will dog pile and/or huddle closely together. Comfortable chicks will walk and/or sit around the brooder, messing about and chattering happily when not sleeping.

The recommended temperatures for brooding chicks (in the warmest part of the brooder) is around 95F for the first week, to be reduced by about 5F weekly until they are fully feathered. I've brooded new chicks at 80-85F and they were quite happy at that, so I go for what their behaviour tells me and adjust the heating accordingly.

Brooder size recommendation as follows:

Up to 2 weeks: 0.5 sq ft per chick
2-4 weeks: 1 sq ft per chick
4-8 weeks: 2.5 sq ft per chick
Over 8 weeks: 4 sq ft per chick

Well I just had to add on so they now have a duplex.

 

[RcoM]

View attachment 2987154

With Spring only a few weeks away many chicken owners are thinking about hatching or buying chicks to raise during the warmer months. I would like to hear your thoughts and tips on buying and raising chicks. Specifically:

- What preparations do you make before hatching/buying chicks?
- Tell me about your brooder(s); Also, do you brood indoors or outdoors?
- How to raise healthy, strong chicks. (Supplements/Feed/Heat management, etc)

Anything you'd like to add?


For a complete list of our Topic of the Week threads, see here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive

Can you please help me by identifying the chick that you have in the photo? I have a small one week old chick that I cannot identify.. it looks a lot like that one! Brown striped wings?!

 

[Molpet]

Can you please help me by identifying the chick that you have in the photo? I have a small one week old chick that I cannot identify.. it looks a lot like that one! Brown striped wings?!

The person quoted, Sumi, has passed away

 

[RcoM]

This is my brooder. But it is based on theoretical knowledge only

. I have it in our below ground basement where the temperature is constantly 55 degrees and with the lamp I can get it up to 95 degrees inside the brooder. Under the pine shavings is a folded tarp so when I need to "change the diapers" I can just fold it up and take it to our compost heap. We are preparing for 8 chicks and this is our first time having chickens. We are very excited!

Am I missing anything?!?

They will kick the shavings into the water and also the feed. The main issue is the water is soaked up by the pine shavings and then there is no access for them. I like to raise the water container a little on a brick or something so they hop up to access it. You might do this after a few days. Also, I have very successful use a drinking bottle with a spout and ball arrangement such as you would use for Keats or guinea pigs. All the chicks love drinking from that and it keeps a constant clean source of water for them as well as trains them to drink from a nipple water arrangement when they are older.

 

[North_FL_Coops]

They will kick the shavings into the water and also the feed. The main issue is the water is soaked up by the pine shavings and then there is no access for them. I like to raise the water container a little on a brick or something so they hop up to access it. You might do this after a few days. Also, I have very successful use a drinking bottle with a spout and ball arrangement such as you would use for Keats or guinea pigs. All the chicks love drinking from that and it keeps a constant clean source of water for them as well as trains them to drink from a nipple water arrangement when they are older.

Cleaning the pine shavings from the water has been an unending task (and I've only had my chicks for five days!). Hadn't thought about raising the waterer (duh), so thanks for the tip!

As for the spout and ball, is there a learning curve to train them on this after they've been using a gravity waterer?