How to Raise Chinese White Crested Chickens

Lovely, exotic Chinese white crested chickens never fail to delight. Whether you desire a friendly pet who will rid your yard of pests and provide your family with fresh, organic home-grown eggs, or a fun educational experience for a child, raising chickens is a satisfying pastime. With just a little know-how and preparation, raising unique Chinese white crested chickens will prove pleasurable and rewarding.

Things You'll Need

  • Brooder
  • Heat source
  • Bedding
  • Drinker/waterer
  • Feeder
  • Starter feed
  • Grit
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Instructions

    • 1

      Provide a warm, nurturing and well-ventilated environment for your Chinese white crested chickens. Before you purchase your baby chicks, prepare a brooder to house your new arrivals. Your brooder can be as simple as a cardboard box with air holes, or a state-of-the-art commercial product from a supplier. Protect the brooder from drafts, but make sure it's properly ventilated.

    • 2

      Supply a heat source, preferably a 250-watt infrared brooder lamp. Hatchlings require 95 degree temperatures for one week, then 90 degrees the second week, slowly reducing the temperature until you introduce your chicks to their permanent outdoor coop.

    • 3

      Line the bottom of your chicks' home with absorbent bedding to collect the droppings. Chickens produce a great amount of poop, and a bed of pine shavings or other highly absorbent material ensures their safety and health.

    • 4

      Include a reliable drinker/waterer for your pullets. Suppliers offer numerous sizes, shapes and styles for raising chickens. Avoid using a water bowl, as the water supply doesn't remain clean and chicks can drown in saucer-type dishes.

    • 5

      Choose a chick feeder that doesn't allow little ones to climb in, contaminate or kick the feed around. Product sizes vary, so keep this in mind when purchasing a feeder for small pullets.

    • 6

      Purchase starter feed, specially formulated for raising chickens. Starter feed contains all the nutrients required and some brands include disease-preventive medication. Baby chicks know when to stop eating, so don't be afraid to keep the feeder full.

    • 7

      Sprinkle grit in your chicks' feed in the form of sand or parakeet gravel available at pet stores. Chickens require grit in their crops to aid digestion as they don't have teeth for grinding.