How to Care For Baby Chicks
Congratulations! You’re the new parent of a brand-new baby chicks! They are cute, fluffy and different than anything you’ve had before. But don’t fret, they truly are easy to take care of. Follow the steps below to be set up for success.
I promise YOU GOT THIS!
Gather supplies. Collect and have ready the following supplies before you bring your chicks home. You can find everything you need at your local feed store.
Brooder - this just needs to be a safe, dry space for your chicks to live for the first few weeks. I like to use a metal trough now that we have done this a few times. We keep them in our potting shed because it is safe, dry and well ventilated.
Heat Source - your chicks need you to keep them warm since they don’t have their mother or all of their feathers in. Week 1 they should be kept around 95 degrees, each week go down by 5 degrees until their feathers come in. Then they will be able to regulate their own temperature. There are several types of heat lamps that can be found on Amazon and your local feed store.
Vitamins or Supplements - Your local feed store will have a variety of supplements to choose from. We like to give our chicks “magic water” for the first couple of weeks. Warm water, 2 tbs. apple cider vinegar and a very small drop of oregano oil. Keep their water fresh and warm for the first few weeks.
Starter Food - Chicks have different nutritional needs than full grown chickens, make sure it’s Chick Starter Feed for the first couple of months.
Cedar Shavings - The first few days the chicks are in their brooder box will be messy! They are just learning how to eat and drink. I like to use paper towels and/or newspaper for the first few days as they learn how to eat, drink and walk. Once they are more settled, I switch over to cedar shavings for the bottom of the brooder box.
Tips and Tricks
Feed your chicks twice a day, follow the suggested amount on the feed bag and don’t over feed.
Watch for pasty butt. Pasty butt is when the chick’s poop is stuck, and their hole gets clogged. This can result in a very quick death. To remove the poop, use a warm, wet paper towel to gently remove the feces from the chick. Check your chicks daily for the first few weeks.
Change out the shavings in the brooder weekly to keep their space clean. Keeping their living space clean prevents other problems later.
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