Chicks are naturally very inquisitive, and the way they explore the world is with their beak. So a good way to introduce food to them is by using kitchen paper on the brooder floor on top of a non-slip cover and sprinkling a few grains of starter feed on it.
The noise of the feed dropping will attract their attention, and they will automatically investigate. In doing so, they learn what food looks, smells and tastes like. I generally sprinkle some feed into the brooder at the end of day 1 or early in day 2. I've never yet had a chick who didn't want to know what it was!
Once they're used to it, it's time to introduce a feeder. I have a detailed article about which type of chick feeder is best, here. The answer is that baby chicks raised by a mother hen have "treats" from day 1. They're not inside, they're out there in the yard with her, eating everything she tells them is good to eat!
But unlike a mother hen, we can't be there all the time to make sure our chicks eat what they're supposed to eat first. And, like children, if chicks have the choice between a yummy treat and proper food, they'll go for treats every time!
But the chick starter feed is their main diet and it's important they have balance in those first few days after hatch. So don't give chicks treats for several days, until they are very familiar with what their grain looks, smells and tastes like.
I normally start to give my chicks some treats in week 2, or at the earliest at the end of week 1 in the brooder. The chick's digestive system is still very undeveloped, so be careful what you feed. It's all too easy to upset their digestion and cause problems. I generally start with some hard boiled egg, chopped into small pieces, or some sweetcorn, again chopped small. At first they look on it as a killer monster, but once they get the taste you'll find they devour it in seconds. And no, it doesn't turn them into egg-eaters later!
Think about it: a hard boiled egg looks, smells and tastes nothing like fresh, uncooked egg. The other treat I give chicks, as a boredom-buster as well as a treat, is a lettuce which I hang from the sides of the brooder box. Hours of endless fun pecking at it! A red light helps prevent pecking issues and is less stressful for chickens than white light.
We place two thermometers in the brooder one on the floor under the lamp and another further away so we can watch the temperature, and adjust the heat lamp up or down accordingly. When the chicks are cold, they huddle together in a pile under the lamp; while when hot, they spread out and avoid the lamp.
By monitoring the thermometer you can make sure they have the proper temperature, and they can determine whether to huddle or spread out as they find necessary. By watching the thermometer, you can maintain the recommended temperature in the middle of the brooder for the slower birds, and the bigger birds can find their comfort zone by moving away from the lamp.
Baby chicks can drown or hurt themselves if inappropriate waterers are used, so it makes sense to buy the proper equipment. The chicks inevitably get waste and pine shavings in the water, so they need to be washed and refilled several times daily.
There are also feeders for baby chicks — available in plastic or metal. We went with the metal and chose the long multi-opening type so many chicks could feed simultaneously. Even easier, find an appropriately shaped branch and place it in the brooder.
The rest should learn after seeing the first drink from the waterer. This is a condition where their droppings cake over the vent area, preventing them from passing more droppings. Pasting up can be fixed by taking a paper towel, dunking it in warm water, and gently using it to remove the blockage.
Remember gently, or the fuzzy down will come off too and the other birds may then pick on this area. In our case, we usually lose one or two for no apparent reason. It makes taking care of them much easier, and I think friendly, sociable birds are more enjoyable.
The reward for all the early work is healthy, friendly, sociable chickens in your backyard that will provide high-quality eggs after about five months. And, months of entertainment as you watch them grow! Chickens like it, and the poultry keepers saw positive effects. I doubt it. The science of probiotics is all pretty new. Encouraging the growth of beneficial gut flora fends off harmful organisms through a process called competitive exclusion.
Chicks raised in an incubator acquire beneficial gut flora more slowly than chicks raised under a hen. To enhance their immunity, probiotics are available that are either dissolved in water or sprinkled on feed to give the chicks an early dose of the same gut flora that will eventually colonize their intestines.
A hand substitute is live-culture yogurt, but a little goes a long way — giving chicks too much yogurt will cause diarrhea.
Gail Damerow has written extensively on raising chickens and other livestock, growing fruits and vegetables, and related rural know-how in more than a dozen books,… See Bio. I describe to myself how I feel about the world What you'll … Read More.
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Support local businesses when you can! Storey Direct: I am a beginner and need your advice. I will be recieving my first batch of chicks this friday and have mixed feelings about this. Especially that it is winter. Hi Richard, You will need to make sure the chicks are warm enough without overheating. The temperature should be at about 95 degrees Fahrenheit, with areas that they can cool off a little if needed.
We got 10 chukar chiks with us, few days old. If I move him away from the heat source think of overheating? The area they are in is large, and has the room to move if overheated. Not sure why they are gravitating towards it. Any tips? Is it drinking and eating? If not, I would try mixing water with a bit of plain yogurt and use an eyedropper to put a drop of water up to the tip of the beak. See if it will drink this to get hydrated and give it probiotics.
I hope this helps. I am a new poultry farmer and have researched as much as i can on poultry farming before i start. I have ordered for 50 day old broilers to start with. It was suggested that i give them glucovet D Vitamin D Fortified Glucose for five days after that i start giving them coccidiostat and antibiotic vitamins. I have not used these specific supplements and medications.
But when you are raising poultry on a commercial basis, the stakes are much higher and losing all or many of your chicks can be financially devastating. The supplements and medications you mention may be a reasonable measure to ensure good health and prevent an outbreak of disease.
However, please read my take on each of these products…. Bbe sure that your new chicks get a drink of plain water first and then add the vit D fortified glucose OR an electrolyte solution. Administer according to directions and do not give more than directed. Too much sugar glucose can cause pasty butt in chicks. The coccidiostat should only be given if the chicks were NOT vaccinated for coccidiosis. You can feed them a medicated feed OR add the medication to their drinking water.
There are antibiotics and there are vitamins. Perhaps there is a product available that contains both and may be added to their water. My feeling is that an antibiotic should not be used unless your chicks show signs of a particular illness that is treatable with antibiotics. If you are selling the meat, you will need to find out if using antibiotics is prohibited before using.
As far as vitamins, you would get those in a balanced broiler feed. They are also available in an electrolyte solution for poultry. If you give the electrolytes for poultry, do not give it along with the vit D fortified glucose because that would give them too much sugar.
I would suggest the electrolytes instead of the vit D fortified glucose because it has more of the helpful vitamins in it. I would also suggest giving them probiotics for the first week or so to help populate their guts with healthy bacteria so they are able to better digest and utilize the nutrition in the feed. We have a new coop coming in 3 weeks and then baby chicks soon to follow.
Thanks for the great advise on setting up the area for the babies. I have a question about the yogurt, do you recommend giving it to all of the babies proactively or only if they have poop issues? Hi Christine, So glad to be of help! I often give all of the babies some yogurt as a treat with some of their food sprinkled on top. Best wishes with the new flock! Hard boil an egg, cool and remove the shell, then mash up really well. Feed like this or add a bit of plain yogurt for probiotics. The other really healthy treat for chickens of any age is plain yogurt!
They can also eat finely chopped greens, such as spinach and kale when they are little. As they get older, they will enjoy meal worms, cooked pumpkin or squash, lettuce and spinach, and free ranging for bugs. Just be careful not to overdo the treats! They need a balanced diet to supply them with all of the nutrients they need to stay healthy.
Basically, the websites say that you can use Tetracycline for turkeys, but the dosage is dependent on the weight of the bird, and the disease you are treating.
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