(a continuation of Part 1 and part 2)
Picking Up Some Chicks
Basically there are three options for obtaining chicks - Buying the chicks from a hatchery, Buying fertile eggs and hatching the eggs yourself and, once you have a flock, let the hens do all the work.
When buying chicks from the hatchery they will give you an exact shipping date so that you have someone available to receive them. They have enough nutrient left from the yolk that they can survive through the shipping time but not a whole lot longer. You should be ready when you get them; here is what you want to have BEFORE your birds arrive
*Starter mash feed - don't use lay mash it has to much calcium and can cause kidney failure in chicks – don't buy the medicated feed, small growers don't need it
*Chick feeder tray. ($4 to $6)
*Waterer (the type that screws onto mason jars – $2)
*Clip on light with reflector – needed for heat not light – use a 60W bulb.
*A brooder box large enough for the number of chicks you have. A cardboard box that measures 2 ft. X 2 ft. would be adequate for 25 chicks for up to 6 weeks (about 20 Sq. in./ chick). Cut the box down to 10 – 12 in high.
If you have a cat the box will have to be fitted with a secure wire top .
Cover the bottom of the brooder with paper towels for the first two days and then use wood shavings (this is so they don't eat the wood shavings before they figure out what the food is). Newspaper is to slick and the chicks have trouble walking on it. Attach the light and train it on one corner of the brooder. Place the water and feeders in the brooder.
Once the chicks are in the brooder watch them to make sure the can find food and water; you may have to pick a few up and stick their beaks in the food and water so they know where it is.
Watch to see if the chicks all pile up under the light – if so they are to cold; move the light closer or change to a 75W bulb. If the are moving around with their wings out and their mouth open and have moved away from the light they are to hot; move the light up or change to a 40W bulb. When they are more or less evenly spread out throughout the brooder the temperature is right.
Be sure they have fresh water every day. Every couple of days spread clean litter- be sure to remove any wet litter. Check the chicks for "pasting up", which is a build up of poop on their butts. Clean off any poop on their backside – if dry pick it off carefully so as not to damage their tender skin. If pasting is allowed to build up it can close up their vent, which can cause death.
At the end of 6 weeks the birds can be moved to the outdoor coop if the weather is warm. Be sure to put the lamp in the coop in case it gets to cool. A one gal. waterer and large feeder should be substituted for the small feeder and waterer. Don't let the birds out into the pen for a couple of weeks.
If you have cockerels they will be fryer/broiler size at 8 to 9 weeks. The pullets will began to lay eggs at about 20 weeks..
Watch the cockerels and try to determine the dominant one – that is the one to keep for a breeding rooster, should you wish to breed your own birds..
At around 8 weeks the chickens can be let out to the outside pen. At 18 weeks begin to mix the starter feed with the lay mash (or lay pellets). Start with a 1 part lay feed to 3 parts starter and build up until straight lay feed is being fed by 22 weeks.
The second option is to hatch your own chicks. This is a worthwhile activity if children are involved , OTOH, it's a pain in the ass unless you invest in a quality incubator with an automatic egg turner and plan on hatching a LOT of chicks.
The easiest method of raising chicks is to let a hen do the job for you – after a few million years of evolution they are pretty good at the task.
Brooding hens are hens that stay on the eggs after they have layed their eggs. Other hens will lay their eggs next to the brooder and she incorporates them into the pile of eggs on which she is sitting. When this occurs, move the brooder and the eggs (8 is a good number) to a caged box so the hens don't continue to lay eggs next to her. Make the move at night it's less likely that the hen will be upset and quit brooding. Be sure there is food and water in the cage.
In 21-22 days the chicks will hatch.
The hen and chicks can be placed with the general population although it's better to have a small area partitioned off in the coop and yard for hens with chicks. The other birds will not harm the chicks and mama hen is VERY protective.
Make sure that starter mash is available for the chicks and that the lay mash is out of their reach
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I didn't get as far as I had planned in this installment, so I will continue in part 4 of the diaries.