Things You'll Need
- Chick Feeders
- Chicken Waterers
- Grit And Oyster Shell Feeder
- Ground Cobs
- Rice Hulls
- Untreated Wood Shavings
- 250-watt Light Bulbs
- Light Fixtures
- Thermometers
- Quik Chik Water Additive
- Baby Chick Grit
Instructions
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One Day to Four Weeks Old
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1
To teach chicks about feed, put a piece of newspaper under feeder, sprinkle a commercial feed on paper and fill the feeder the first day you get your chicks.
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2
Sprinkle baby grit on feed after the third day. Sprinkle lightly, as if you were salting your food.
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3
Dip each chick's beak into water before you place it in the cage. A 1-gallon chick waterer will water 50 birds.
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4
Provide a heat source (a light bulb) for chicks. Use one 250-watt bulb for 50 chicks in cold weather and one bulb for 100 chicks in warm weather.
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5
Place the light bulb about 18 inches above the floor.
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6
Leave room in the cage for chicks to get away from heat if it gets too hot for them.
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7
Maintain a temperature of 90 to 95 degrees F the first week; reduce by several degrees each week until you get to 70 degrees F.
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8
Place cardboard or empty feed sacks around the outside of the cage for a while to keep cool air from blowing on chicks.
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9
Place an inch of wood shavings, rice hulls or ground cobs on the bottom of the cage.
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10
Provide six square inches (1/2 foot) of space for each bird.
Four Weeks and Older
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11
Increase floor space to nine square inches (3/4 foot) of space per bird.
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12
Add another waterer.
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13
Use a grit feeder to feed free-choice grit. You may need to go to the next size of grit - check with your feed store or pet store.
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14
Allow chickens to go out into a fenced pen on warm, sunny days.
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1