Raising chicks the wrong way can be a real pain because chicks are susceptible to temperature fluctuations, disease, and even hygiene issues.

Raised correctly, however, with love and care, they are easy to raise for whatever purpose you have in mind; here is what you need to do.

What supplies do you need before bringing them home?

Before you bring your babies home, you need to have a few things on hand. Here is my own list of must-haves.

A Brooder

Mine is very similar to this one, but I had someone local build it for me.  We keep it in the laundry room for the first week if it’s cold outside, then on the porch, then we move it out to the coop. The good thing about using something like this as a brooder is that it can pull double duty as your infirmary if you ever need to separate a sick or injured chicken from the flock.

I plan to raise chickens for meat a couple of times per year, which makes a permanent brooder a good investment for me.  Here’s my brooder out on our back deck.

However, if you are just raising a few backyard laying hens and not planning to raise new chickens every year, you don’t have to go crazy expensive.

Before I got my big brooder, I made one similar to this, except I didn’t fasten the hardware cloth to the top. I cut the hardware cloth bigger than the opening of the Rubbermaid container where it would hang down over the edges, and simply snapped the lid with the hole cut out on top of it.

A heat source

Baby chicks must stay warm, or they’ll die. If they were being raised by their mama, they would huddle underneath her to stay cozy. Since you are the mama, and if you sat on them it wouldn’t end well for anybody involved, you have to go with other methods. The least expensive way to keep them warm is by using a standard heat lamp and a red bulb. A red bulb is recommended instead of a white one so that the chicks sleep better.  This is the method that I have used for all my chicks.

Invest in a cheap digital thermometer so you don’t have to guess about the temperature in the brooder. Here’s the rundown on the minimum temps the babies need:

Week 1:  95-100 degrees

Week 2: 90-95 degrees

Week 3: 85-90

Week 4: 80-85

Once they’re fully fledged (that means they have all their feathers instead of just fluff) they can handle lower temperatures.

Aside from a thermometer, here’s how you can tell if the temperature is right in the brooder.

If they’re all huddled together and making a lot of noise it means they’re cold and distressed.

If they’re spread far apart, lethargic, and panting, they’re too hot.

If they’re active, randomly spread out, and making happy little peeping noises, they’re just right.

Bedding

I use wood shavings for bedding, but you can also use straw. Be sure not to get something artificially scented, as this can cause respiratory problems for the delicate babies.

For the first couple of days, I put paper towels on top of the bedding so I can see their poop. See the section on health issues for the reason why.

Feeders and waterers

You’ll need some containers for feeding and watering your babies.

First, a note. Baby chicks are adorable, but they’re messy and they poop everywhere. That includes in their food and water containers. Initially I don’t like to use an open bowl for feeding for this very reason.  It doesn’t seem to bother them much, but ew.

I have a couple of different feeders for the littles.

These are awesome because they are inexpensive and they simply screw on the bottom of a regular mouth quart jar. The jars can easily be sanitized in the dishwasher afterward. (They’re less than $5 at the time of publication.)

For water, it’s really important to note that a lot of baby chicks die from drowning. It’s heartbreaking to see (thankfully it hasn’t happened to us!) There are two ways to avoid this.

#1.  First, you can get a water container that doesn’t have enough room for them to fall in and die. I like the kind that you screw on to the bottom of a mason jar. You can also get them in plastic but it’s only a few cents less.  You’ll have to fill these several times throughout the day, depending on how many chicks you have.

#2. You can use a bigger one-gallon water dispenser, but line the trough area with pebbles. this way, they can still get a drink but there isn’t room for them to fall in and be unable to get out. You will only have to do this for a week or so before they’re too big to fall in.

I like to raise the water dispenser up just a little bit to keep it from getting filled with bedding. The bedding can soak up the water like a sponge, leaving you with thirsty babies. You can use just about anything to raise it up. I have a couple of pieces of scrap wood beneath my waterers.

What to feed baby chicks

The next debate is whether or not to give them medicated feed. Some people swear by giving them medicated feed for the first few weeks of their lives, claiming that all of the medication will be out of their systems by the time you consume the eggs (or the chickens if you’re raising them for meat.)  It provides them with an immunity to coccidiosis.

Many people are raising chickens to provide them with organic eggs or meat at a better price. If that is your goal, you’ll want to go with an organic food. This starter is a high quality organic product at a reasonable price.

Another option is GMO-free feed if you aren’t worried about strictly organic. It’s a good happy medium between the low-quality “Doritoes” chicken feed and the expensive organic feed. You can usually find a good quality GMO-free crumble at your local feed store.

I always start out with crumble, which is coarsely ground, and as they get bigger, I mix the crumble with the pellets. I like pellets because there is far less waste. I also like to supplement them with fresh fruits and vegetables. However, if you are supplementing them, be sure to provide a little dish of grit to help with their digestion.

Baby chick health issues

Coccidiosis: Remember how I said I put paper towels over the bedding for the first few days? That’s so I can check their poop. It’s important to check that on a daily basis. You’re looking for anything bloody. ( Turn off the red heat light if you’re using one because you can’t see bloody stool under a red light.) If you see anything with even a tinge of blood, you need to act immediately. This is a symptom of coccidiosis.

It’s not difficult to treat. Although this medication is labeled for use with calves, it can be used for baby chicks if you water it down sufficiently, as per my local feed store. Add 2 teaspoons of Corid to a gallon of water. They’ll generally consume enough if they aren’t too sick to drink.

Pasty butt: I lost several chicks in my first flock to pasty butt and it absolutely broke my heart. This is evident when their vent gets sealed shut with poop. If it becomes clogged, the waste backs up in the chick’s system and they can’t pass their waste. It’s essential during the first week or two after bringing them home to check everyone’s bottom on a twice daily basis. If there is a little clump of poo on the bottom, you have to act.

You will have to very gently remove the clump on their bottoms. BE CAREFUL. Just pulling on it can actually disembowel the poor baby. Also, you need to be certain it’s the vent and not the umbilical stump.

How to raise your new babies.

So…you’ve got your babies home. They’re safely ensconced in the brooder. What now?

You need to keep them fed, watered, and warm. That’s about it!

Other things to keep in mind:

• Make sure your chicken coop is varmint proof – predators like weasels can squeeze into the tiniest holes and will murder your chicks and chickens for sport
• You can get your chicks online or at your local feed store
• During extreme hot or cold, you have to pay extra attention to your chicks – make sure they do not overheat or freeze – check them multiple times a day.

Also, remember that local towns and cities have different laws – make sure you check out the legality of raising chicks and chickens in your locale.

To learn more about raising chicks and chickens, check out The Organic Prepper.