Preparing for Poultry

The chicks were ordered in February and were to arrive at the end of March. The breed that is being used is Black Sex Link, which is a cross between a Rhode Island Red male and Barred Plymouth Rock female. Because of this mix they are considered dual purpose birds, meaning they are meant to provide both eggs and meat. They are a hardy bunch which is perfect for this project.

What do you need to prepare for baby chicks? You need an environment that is warm, dry and comes with plenty of food and fresh water. Now, let's talk about these things in more detail. During the brooding period, which is really until the chicks have enough feathers to keep them warm, they need to be kept warm and dry. In a natural environment the mother hen would do this, but because these babies are hatched and shipped on the same day, there is no mother to care for them. You can house the chicks in almost anything as long as you can control the temperature. For the first week the chicks need a heat source of about 95 degrees, the temperature needs decrease by about 5 degrees each week. Daniel chose to use a Rubbermaid tub with a reflective clamp light. The tub can be covered to hold in the heat, but leaving an opening for ventilation. For easy cleanup we put newspaper in the bottom. Now, for the first week or so it is important for the chicks to have something on the newspaper so that they have good traction. The newspaper may be too slick and it could cause their legs and feet to have problems. Once they have stronger legs it is not as much of a concern. Chickens love to have litter to scratch in and pine shavings can be a great choice. If you use a litter such as wood shavings it also helps keep the environment dry as it absorbs any moisture.

Baby chicks love to eat and should always have food available to them. You want to use a good chick starter feed to ensure they get all the nutrients they need to grow big and healthy. Fresh water is also important. You can use a waterer, which is good, but if you need to use a shallow dish for a time, then just make sure to put marbles or rocks in it so they stay out of it and so they do not drown in the water. While chickens are smarter than some other fowl, they still are not the sharpest tool in the shed, so you will need to keep an eye on them and make sure they are ok.

Now that we have the proper set up to get them started all we need to do is add the chicks.