Hi Treats for Chickens community, it's me, Dawn!
If you don’t follow Treats for Chickens on Instagram (which you should @treats4chickens) you haven’t heard the exciting news: we have baby chicks! They are the cutest little balls of fluff I have ever seen. Don’t worry, I’ll include many, many photos.
I thought that it would be a wonderful idea to give how-tos, tips, and advice on raising up baby chicks aka Beginners Guide to Raising Baby Chicks.
BEFORE
Before your chicks even arrive, you’ll want to collect all needed supplies and set up the brooder.
Necessary supplies:
- Chick feeder
- Water bottle
- Heat lamp
- Large bin aka: brooder
Like many young animals, chicks cannot regulate their own body temperature. It is super important to set up the brooder before the chicks arrive. They will be chilly from spending the journey with only each other for warmth, so be sure to set up the heat lamp before they arrive. The heat lamp should be set to heat to 95°F (35°C). You may want to grab a thermometer so you can track the temperature within the brooder.
Brooder at Treats for Chickens
Heater
Chicks also need a specific feeder-- see below. Make sure to fill up the feeder before your baby chicks arrive! They will be hungry. Chicks cannot eat the same pellets as full-grown hens can. So you’ll need to start them on crumble. Crumble is finally ground pellets and perfect for teeny tiny little beaks!
MOST IMPORTANT: You’ll also want to set up a water dish for the baby chicks. However, they won’t know what to do with it-- water, it’s new -- so you’ll have to gently pick up each chick and dip their beak into the water-- we’ll explain more on that in the next part.
Next we’ll explain what to do when your chicks arrive! But until then, read Treats for Chickens' Getting Started with Baby Chicks: Q&A blog.
-Dawn, Treats for Chickens 🧡
Let's keep your flock happy + healthy!
Help fellow chicken parents and leave a comment below!
