How to Take Care of Newly Hatched Baby Chickens

Many rural and urban people opt to raise their own chicks. A growing number of families see the health and money-saving benefits of keeping chickens. Chicken owners do not have to put up with eggs that contain chemicals or the ever-changing prices of eggs, and chickens make good pets. They have personalities and behave in ways that make their owners laugh. Therefore, owners must follow simple instructions to ensure their newborn chicks live past the first 60 days of their lives.

Things You'll Need

  • Cardboard box or rabbit cage
  • Pine shavings
  • 100-watt Bulb with reflector or heating Lamp
  • Feeder
  • Chick crumbles
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Instructions

  1. Newborn Chicks

    • 1

      Obtain a cardboard box or cage. The box or cage is the chick's home, or brooder, for the first eight weeks. The box must be sturdy, so the chicks can't easily escape from the box. Experienced owners can also use a rabbit or guinea pig cage --- 46 inches x 23 inches or larger --- for newborn chicks. The box or cage must be wide enough for each chick to lie down and move around in.

    • 2

      Spread pine shaving or shredded newspaper on the floor of cage or box. Replace shavings or newspaper every two days. Chicks will get diseases from unsanitary bedding. If owners choose to use a box, get a new box when the bottom becomes wet from urine and excrement.

    • 3

      Use a 100-watt light bulb with a reflector or a heating lamp. The chick's home must be between 90 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit for the first seven days. After one week, start decreasing the heat each week by five degrees until the chicks have feathers. Chicks pant when they are too hot, or they cushion together under the light if they are cold. Use their behavior and a thermometer as a indicator of temperature. Move the light closer to the chicks if it is too cold and further away if it is too hot.

    • 4

      Keep water available at all times. Chicks drink a lot. Use a medium-size plastic waterer. Clean the water container each day to protect against chick urine and feces.

    • 5

      Feed chick crumbles to newborns. Chicks require a strict diet. Do not give them worms or other little treats until they are older. Chick crumbles contain all the newborns' dietary needs. Use a feeder to give food to chicks. Once again, keep the feeder clean to avoid illnesses in the chicks.

    • 6

      Let them out of their brooder in a sealed room. Do not let them out until a week after birth. Only allow them to come out of their brooder when room temperature is warm. Keep a close eye on the chicks to keep them from escaping or harming themselves.

    • 7

      Place a low roost on the floor of the box or cage. A low roost is a wooden dwelling that chicks like to bounce off of and sleep in. Do not place it too close to the light bulb or heating lamp. Do not add a low roost to the cage until chicks are 1 month old.