Care Tips & Feeding Instructions

First Day:

Your chicks may not arrive when you expect them to so make sure you have some flexibility on the arrival date. Have your brooders or heat lamps on so you can put them under heat as soon as they arrive. The temperature directly under the heat source should be around 95˚ F. Make sure they have enough room to get away from the heat if they get too hot. Lay a thermometer on the floor under the heat to ensure you have the correct temperature. Have a chick waterer in the enclosure and you can gently and quickly dip each chick’s beak into the water so they find it and start drinking. Lay down some paper towels around the brooder and sprinkle some chick starter on them. Change out the paper towels as needed. For bedding we recommend pine shavings.

Feed:

Use chick starter with a protein content of 21-22% and meds for the first 2-3 weeks. Then you can use 18-19% protein grower until around week 7. Finish them out on 16-17% protein finisher. If you are looking for a good supplier of natural, non-GMO feed, try Hiland Naturals Feed. You can find them at www.hilandnaturals.com.

Water:

You should have a one gallon chick waterer for each 50 chicks. Your chicks will be thirsty when you get them. If you give them a taste of water right away it will help them find the water. Most baby chick loss is caused by the chick not eating or drinking. Never let your chicks run out of water.

Heat:

Start out with the temperature directly under the heat source at around 95° and drop it one degree per day until you hit 70 degrees. Adjust the amount of heat bulbs or distance from the floor to achieve this temperature. Using a thermometer is recommended to make sure you have the right temperature. Make sure you have plenty of space where the chick can go to cool down if they get too hot. The best indicator of temperature is watching how the chicks act. If they are crowding under the heat source they are too cold. If they are spread out around the edges of your enclosure they are most likely too hot. If you see them panting they are too hot. Ideally they will be spread out around the edge of the brooder.

Processing:

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