Getting Started: Chicks

Getting Started: Chicks

Photo Courtesy of: dullesmoms.com

As spring is right around the corner, the age old tradition of raising a few (or more than a few) chicks often pops across people's minds. However, more often than not, chicks are purchased without any idea of how to properly raise them to become productive, robust adults.
Here is some information on how to raise chicks successfully.

1. Preparation:
The biggest mistake often is made before the chicks even arrive! Preparation is a key first step to raising chicks. Imagine buying a puppy, but having no food or a sectioned off area of the yard to keep it in! Chicks are no exception, and in most cases, lack of preparation could mean 100% mortality for your chicks.
Some necessary items that need to be obtained before purchasing chicks include:

1. A Brooder: safe, minimally disturbed closed area that is the chicks' home for most of "chickhood."
2. Feed: hence the name, chick starter should be fed from day 1- week 8. From week 9-16, chick/pullet grower can be fed, and from week 17-20/24, pullet developer can be fed. I have gotten pretty good results with feeding chick starter all the way to week 20/24, and likewise with the three separate rations. 
3. Litter: bedding is an essential part in keeping chicks warm. The bedding should be at least 1 inch- 1.5 inches deep for a good amount of comfort and absorption of droppings. Keep in mind the size of the bedding too; straw is too big and hard for chicks. Straw is about as frustrating to chicks as living on a pile of branches would be to humans. Pine shavings are usually the best option for absorption and particle size. 
4. Heat Lamp & Bulbs: These can be found just about anywhere for a decent price. 250 Watt heat lamp bulbs get the job done, and last forever! I've found that one of these heat lamps service about 65 chicks. If your brooder house is outside, I would advise two heat lamps for 65 chicks in cold(er) weather. Make sure that the lamp doesn't get wet, as the heat bulb will literally explode, causing glass shards to go everywhere. Chicks will try to eat the shards.
5. Feeders & Waterers: proper chick sized feeders and waterers are your best bet to limit feed wastage and stress. Too little feeding space (and water) can cause extreme levels of stress on chicks. The height of them can also affect their structural soundness as well, especially in broiler chickens. 

2. Choosing Chicks:

Another important consideration is from who and where you are going to get your chicks from. Buying from a reputable breeder or hatchery is going to be your best bet. Living in Idaho, I have access to a local hatchery (Dunlap Hatchery), and would highly recommend them. I have bought from a few other hatcheries from across the United States, but the chicks have lacked vigor as adults. I have also had minimal to 0% mortality when buying from Dunlap's. Some of these observations have lead me to speculate that animals that were born in a certain geographical location perform the best in that location. 

3. Choosing a Breed: 

Meat or Eggs? Heritage or Hybrid? Exotic? There are so many choices when it comes to choosing a breed. For those who want the best bang -for -their -buck broiler would be the Cornish Cross. These are the most economical bird for meat, and lots of it. 

For the commercial, or even small to medium egg farm that is centered on production, your best bet would be the commercial-bred hybrid egg producers. Some out of the many "breeds" that are available are: 

• Bovans Brown (Golden Sex-Link)
• Bovans White (several variations within the term 'White Leghorn')
• Golden Comet
• Cinnamon Queen
• Lohmann Brown
• Hyline Brown
• Hyline White

There are so many more, but all of these produce an average of 300-360+ eggs per year/laying cycle. That's a lot of eggs for one chicken! They are also very economical when it comes to feed consumption per egg. 

For small hobby farms, there are endless possibilities when it comes to breed selection. From hybrids to exotics to bantams, the breed list goes on and on and on...

Some exceptionally popular breeds for small hobby farms and back-yarders are:

• Rhode Island Red
• Golden and Silver Laced Wyandotte
• Barred and White Plymouth Rocks
• Golden Sex Link
• White Leghorn
• Araucana/Easter Egger
• Buff Orpington
• Black Ostralorp

And many more! Most of these breeds that are listed above (except golden sex link and white leghorn) are heritage breeds, meaning that they breed true to type (rhode island red x rhode island red = rhode island red), and have been preserved through (for most) hundreds of years. 

As there are lots of options, the picking and choosing comes down to personal opinion and what breed best suits your purposes.