How to Raise Chicks and Poults successfully
Supplies you will need:
-Heat lamp shield
-red heat lamp ( we use 100 or 175 watt)
-pine shavings
-brooder (enclosed box, old aquarium, storage tub etc..)
-medicated chick or poult starter
-water container
-feeder
How to raise chicks & Poults
Temperature
Chicks hatch into an environment of 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore the first week of a chick/poults life is critical. It is very important to keep them warm and away from drafts. The brooder should be 90F for the first week of life and the temperature should be decreased by 5F each week after. (eg 5 weeks of age - temperature should be 70F)
Place a red heat lamp in one corner and not in the center of the brooder, this is so the chicks/poults can move to a "cooler" area of the brooder if they prefer.
A 100 watt incandescent light bulb will most likely be sufficient for most in the home brooders, while a larger 100 - 175 watt heat lamp is recommended for larger brooders outdoors/in the chicken coop. When ever possible try to use a red light as this discourages feather picking.
It is quite simple to see if the chicks are warm enough. If all the chicks are panting and/or scattered around the edges of the brooder they are too warm and either raise the heat lamp so the lamp is further away from the chicks or decrease the wattage of the bulb. If all the chicks are huddled together under the heat lamp they are too cold. Either lower the heat lamp so it is closer to the chicks or increase the heat bulb wattage.
The Brooder
Almost anything can be used as a brooder. If this is a one time thing then a cardboard box or a storage tote will work fine. The brooder should be closed in on all sides except one. This is to prevent draft and to ensure the chicks stay warm,
Bedding
Pine shavings are preferred bedding for chicks. It is affordable, keeps the chicks dry and makes it easy to discard dirty shavings and replace them with clean ones. Brooders should be cleaned regularly and chicks should never be housed on wet shavings. Chicks are prone to many diseases however most can be avoided with proper sanitation.
A word of caution: use coarse shavings whenever possible to prevent impacted crops. (chicks will eat fine shavings which remain in their crops and can not be digested, this can cause death)
We have found the best for keeping chicks clean and dry is to have them on wire up off the main floor of the brooder. We place paper under the wire floor for easy clean up. Be sure to use fine mesh wire so the chicks feet don't go through the holes. Having them up on wire prevents them from eating the feces which can make them ill.
You might be tempted to use other types of bedding such as shredded newspaper and puppy pee pads however this is not recommended. Shredded newspaper is very slippery and isn't very absorbent and the ink rubs off making the chicks dirty. Pee Pads might seem like a good idea however the chicks can not get good traction on them, causing their legs to slip out from under them constantly and they could end up with crooked legs as a result.
Food & Water
Provide your chicks/poults with clean fresh water daily.
Medicated starter crumbs are recommended for both chicks and poults. It is medicated to prevent coccidiosis which is common with chicks especially when they are stressed due to home change/travel.
While turkey poults can also be fed chicken starter crumbs they can also be fed starter crumbs specifically formulated for poults. The protein level in turkey starter is higher than in chicken starter and for this reason some people prefer it when raising turkeys for the freezer.
Grower crumbs can be introduced at age 4 weeks and mixed gradually with starter crumbs.Greens, cracked grain and bread (crumbled) can be introduced once your poults/chicks are feathered. Feed bread crumbs in moderation. Introduce grain slowly mixing it with grower crumbs at around 8 weeks of age.
Use caution when feeding greens (lettuce, dandelions ect). To much will cause diarrhea so introduce it very sparingly at first. Always wash greens to ensure there are no pesticides or chemicals on them. Chickens will eat almost anything, greens, bread, fruit, even table scraps such as cooked potatoes and vegetables, however these foods should always be fed in moderation and should never replace their main diet of either grains or commercially formulated foods.
Chickens and turkeys also need grit in their diet. This is to aid in grinding the food in their crops. Commercially prepared grit is available at most feed stores. Chickens and turkeys that are free-ranged will eat dirt and tiny stones and do not need an additional source of grit.
Chicks hatch into an environment of 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore the first week of a chick/poults life is critical. It is very important to keep them warm and away from drafts. The brooder should be 90F for the first week of life and the temperature should be decreased by 5F each week after. (eg 5 weeks of age - temperature should be 70F)
Place a red heat lamp in one corner and not in the center of the brooder, this is so the chicks/poults can move to a "cooler" area of the brooder if they prefer.
A 100 watt incandescent light bulb will most likely be sufficient for most in the home brooders, while a larger 100 - 175 watt heat lamp is recommended for larger brooders outdoors/in the chicken coop. When ever possible try to use a red light as this discourages feather picking.
It is quite simple to see if the chicks are warm enough. If all the chicks are panting and/or scattered around the edges of the brooder they are too warm and either raise the heat lamp so the lamp is further away from the chicks or decrease the wattage of the bulb. If all the chicks are huddled together under the heat lamp they are too cold. Either lower the heat lamp so it is closer to the chicks or increase the heat bulb wattage.
The Brooder
Almost anything can be used as a brooder. If this is a one time thing then a cardboard box or a storage tote will work fine. The brooder should be closed in on all sides except one. This is to prevent draft and to ensure the chicks stay warm,
Bedding
Pine shavings are preferred bedding for chicks. It is affordable, keeps the chicks dry and makes it easy to discard dirty shavings and replace them with clean ones. Brooders should be cleaned regularly and chicks should never be housed on wet shavings. Chicks are prone to many diseases however most can be avoided with proper sanitation.
A word of caution: use coarse shavings whenever possible to prevent impacted crops. (chicks will eat fine shavings which remain in their crops and can not be digested, this can cause death)
We have found the best for keeping chicks clean and dry is to have them on wire up off the main floor of the brooder. We place paper under the wire floor for easy clean up. Be sure to use fine mesh wire so the chicks feet don't go through the holes. Having them up on wire prevents them from eating the feces which can make them ill.
You might be tempted to use other types of bedding such as shredded newspaper and puppy pee pads however this is not recommended. Shredded newspaper is very slippery and isn't very absorbent and the ink rubs off making the chicks dirty. Pee Pads might seem like a good idea however the chicks can not get good traction on them, causing their legs to slip out from under them constantly and they could end up with crooked legs as a result.
Food & Water
Provide your chicks/poults with clean fresh water daily.
Medicated starter crumbs are recommended for both chicks and poults. It is medicated to prevent coccidiosis which is common with chicks especially when they are stressed due to home change/travel.
While turkey poults can also be fed chicken starter crumbs they can also be fed starter crumbs specifically formulated for poults. The protein level in turkey starter is higher than in chicken starter and for this reason some people prefer it when raising turkeys for the freezer.
Grower crumbs can be introduced at age 4 weeks and mixed gradually with starter crumbs.Greens, cracked grain and bread (crumbled) can be introduced once your poults/chicks are feathered. Feed bread crumbs in moderation. Introduce grain slowly mixing it with grower crumbs at around 8 weeks of age.
Use caution when feeding greens (lettuce, dandelions ect). To much will cause diarrhea so introduce it very sparingly at first. Always wash greens to ensure there are no pesticides or chemicals on them. Chickens will eat almost anything, greens, bread, fruit, even table scraps such as cooked potatoes and vegetables, however these foods should always be fed in moderation and should never replace their main diet of either grains or commercially formulated foods.
Chickens and turkeys also need grit in their diet. This is to aid in grinding the food in their crops. Commercially prepared grit is available at most feed stores. Chickens and turkeys that are free-ranged will eat dirt and tiny stones and do not need an additional source of grit.