Eggs are a hot topic right now – for good reason! We have egg prices ranging from $4-6 a dozen for conventionally raised operations (meaning confined feeding operations). Organic or pasture raised eggs have reached prices even higher!
Nationwide there seems to be a massive increase in egg prices. Between the massive cullings for Bird Flu that swept through our country last year, and increased cost for feed and production, and numerous other contributions, it’s understandable why egg prices have gone up.
This has definitely encouraged many families to start taking their food production into their own hands. Many have reached out to us recently for tips and tricks on starting out with their first chicks.
This post will include some basic steps to make sure your transition to chicken tendering is as smooth as it can be.
There are affiliate links in this post. Read my disclosure policy to learn more.
Check Your Local Ordinances
Before you get too committed to chickens, make sure to check with your local laws. Many cities, HOA’s and counties do not allow chickens of any kind. Some allow a limited numbers of hens, while others don’t have restrictions at all. It’s better to know your rights before investing in chicks to avoid fines or trouble down the road. Check with your local zoning office or city hall to find out more information on your location.
Set Up a Brooder
Chicks are usually shipped from the breeders to farm stores or directly to your home the day after they’ve hatched. They are very sensitive to cold, drafts, and getting damp. The day before bringing your chicks home, you will want to have a dedicated are set up for them indoors.
If raised naturally, a momma hen keeps her babies tucked tightly under her thick, feathered belly where her body heat can keep them roughly 90-95 degrees. She also won’t hatch eggs until the weather is warmer and dry to provide her babies the best chance for survival.
You will essentially become the momma hen.
No, I’m not telling you to carry your chicks around with you, or co-sleep with them.
But you need to create a warm, safe, dry environment free of drafts for them to grow and develop over their first several weeks.
For our brooder area, we keep our chicks in an insulated room in our barn. They have a thick bedding of pine shavings, fresh water, fresh feed, and a red heat lamp to provide extra warmth.
Heating
There is some risks with using a heat lamp as afar a fire hazard. Make sure your lamp is clean, securely attached to something nonflammable, the protection guard is on, and you check on them frequently. The top of our brooder box is made of woven wire to provide a barrier incase the bulb breaks.
You can purchase small thermometers to keep in your brooder box to give you a good idea on the temperature (remember, it will need to stay quite warm for the first several weeks). Also keeping an eye on their behavior. “Sticky Bottom” Can occur in the first two weeks with chicks where droppings get matted and congested in the vent area which can quickly lead to death. This usually occurs when the chicks are too hot.
Their grouping patterns will also tell you if the are at a comfortable temperature. If they’re wings are spread out far from their bodies and they are scattered to the edges of the box – far from the heat lamp, they are too warm.
If they are clumped together or on top of each other, they are too cold.
Alternatively, a brooder plate is a great, safe option to use. You can adjust the hight for the birds as they grow.
Brooder Box
The brooder box itself can be made from a wide variety of materials. Rabbit hutches, pre-fabricated cages, pop up tents, cardboard boxes, to converted shipping crates (what we currently use) can all be used for chicks.
You want to make sure they have enough room, can clean easily, and have easy access to their feeders and waterers. I usually line the bottom of our brooder boxes with puppy pads and cover generously with fresh pine shavings.
Safety
Make sure to keep your brooder box somewhere secure. Our feed is stored in a bucket with a lid secured onto to try and limit attracting pests and other animals (such as raccoons, cats, and dogs). The boxes are located in an enclosed room in our barn, but raccoons, mice, and rats are tenacious when they know there is something inside they want.
We love having our children interact with our animals and take part in daily chore activity, but they do not get to do so unsupervised. Chicks are very fragile, and sometimes little hands do not know how strong they are.
Feeders and Waterers
Young chicks need constant access to fresh water and feed. You can purchase several different Chick Starter’s usually from your local farm store. Finding organic or even just non-gmo options is becoming increasingly difficult. At our local Tractor Supply, I can usually find Organic Starter Crumble through MannaPro.
There are several different options for feeders and waterers. Something as simple as this combo can suit them well. For the first week after bringing home your chicks, you may want to put small pebbles or marbles in the lip of the water dish to prevent them from drowning.
If you purchase a larger amount of chicks at once, you may want a feeder tray instead to allow more chicks to eat at once.
Where to Purchase Chicks
Deciding what breeds you’re looking for will be key in deciding where to purchase your chicks. If you’re just looking for something simple and easy to start with, searching at your local farm store might be the easiest option.
We have successfully ordered chicks for several years from Meyer Hatchery hand have had great success. By ordering from them you are able to choose if you want them vaccinated or medicated (or not).
Another option is finding someone local who hatches chicks. I personally like this option, as it allows you to support a local farmer, and you know the parents are acclimated to our area.
The First Day Home
Once you bring your chicks home, make sure to gently dip each bird’s beak into the water and then into their feed. This is similar to a mother hen showing the chicks where feed and water are. You will want to check on them periodically each day to make sure everyone looks healthy, their water is clean, and they have plenty of feed.
If you do start noticing any sticky bottom, you can gently loosen the stool with a warm, damp shop cloth taking care not to pull. Pulling can damage their vent area.
Depending on when you bring your chicks home, you can start introducing them to fresh grass as soon as it’s warm enough outside or they have fully feathered out (usually around 6 weeks). Before moving them to a larger coop outdoors, you will want to gently acclimate them by having them outdoors for a short time and increasing that time every day for several days. The colder it is outside, the longer you may need to keep them indoors.
(See chart above for heating guidelines per week).
Magic Chicken Water
I always make up a batch of “Magic Chicken Water” for all of our chicks on their first day here. I do so even with broody hens and the chicks they hatch as well to give them a boost and encourage a healthy immune system.
Ingredients:
- 1 Gallon warm water
- 2 TBSP raw applecider vinegar
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 3 cloves minced garlic
Directions:
In a glass jar, mix all ingredients together. Fill your chicken waterer with 1/4 – 1/2 of Magic Chicken Water and keep the rest of your mixture refrigerated for the next few days. I only allow that batch of water to stay with the chicks for roughly 24 house before removing, cleaning the waterer well with a gentle soap, and adding fresh water mixture.
Ready to Start?
Keep us posted as you begin your journey! We are here to help answer questions and trouble shoot.
Up coming on the blog will include Laying Hens: Quail Eggs, Laying Hens: Natural Care, Laying Hens: Flock Management.
If you’re interested in keeping ducks, check out our past post on naturally raising ducks!