Happy Chicks

In part three of this series we are looking at the stage when the chicks are out of the incubator and in their first few months of life. After your chicks have hatched they are still very fragile animals.

You will need to keep them either indoors or in a heated environment until they are about five weeks old. This environment is commonly called the brooder. So long as the environment is warm safe dry and has adequate food and plentiful water supplies then almost anything will do. Some people use simple cardboard boxes or they use small rabbit hunches. On the base of the brooder you will need to provide a layer of pine shavings or newspaper. This is readilyof the available from pet suppliers.

Be sure to ensure that the environment is clean and dry. During the early stages of life the chicks are susceptible to disease and a primary cause of disease at this time associated with poor sanitation.

After about a month you can add a stick or wooden dowel about 4 inches above the ground to act as a roost for the birds.  However don't put this directly under your heat source where it will be too hot. The birds will use this for sleeping on.

Temperature

Try to maintain the temperature between 90 to 100 degrees in the first week then as the birds get older you can reduce the temperature by approximately 5° per week. Once their feathers have developed they will be able to control the temperature themselves and additional heat should not be an issue.

You should monitor the temperature of the brooder with a thermometer and keep careful observation on the chicks. They will indicate to you whether they are too hot or too cold by their panting or by huddling away from the light. After a short time you will be a good judge as to whether the temperature was too hot or too cold.

If they are all grouped together directly under the light the long period of time reluctant to move away and clearly they may be too cold. Or if they are spread furthest away from the light source rarely venturing in then they are probably too hot. Again just use your common sense and judgement to make sure that they are comfortable in their environment.

Water

Once again, water is a vital element for their continuing healthy growth. You will be surprised at the volumes of water that they will need. Therefore do not limit it. Make sure that their drinker is stable secure and is not too deep. The birds should be less prone to drowning at this stage but it is not inevitable that they will not. Plastic drinkers are lightweight and easy to clean and a good solution for your water supply. Be sure to keep the water clean as they will defecate into the water periodically.

Food

Initially you can give thebaby chicks something called crumbles which is a special product formulated for this time of their life. Medicated supplements can be included in this food which is recommended. Crumbles provide all the nutrients that the birds need. However after a week or two the birds can eat worms and bugs. You should try not to give them garden waste of kitchen waste during this time until the birds are older. Pay attention to their droppings if they are too loose they can develop a condition where they will stick to the vent and become hard and preventing further droppings. Check this on your birds and clean their vent if necessary.

Your chicks will naturally peck and scratch around for their food. The birds will be curious and inquisitive. They are surprisingly agile and will hop around very quickly. They are also vulnerable at this stage of their life as they are helpless against any predator.