Care Tips

Tips to ensure your chicks thrive from day 1!

Quick Checklist

✔ Warm brooder with heat lamp

✔ Thermometer

✔ Electrolyte mix or sugar

✔ Starter feed

✔ Chick waterer (with marbles)

✔ Bedding (no cedar!)

✔ Clean towels or paper towels

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ARRIVAL INSTRUCTIONS

Start here the moment your chicks arrive.

  • Unpack Immediately: Gently remove chicks from the shipping box as soon as they arrive. Check each chick for signs of stress, weakness, or injury.
  • Hydration is Critical: Prepare warm (95°F) water with a small amount of sugar (1 tablespoon per quart). Dip each chick’s beak into the water to encourage drinking.
  • Prevent Drowning: Use a shallow chick waterer and add clean marbles or pebbles to prevent chicks from falling in and drowning.
  • Delay Feeding Briefly: Allow 1–2 hours for chicks to fully hydrate before offering food. Hydration helps reduce shipping stress and encourages appetite.

A safe, clean environment is key to your chicks’ early health.

  • Container: Use a plastic tote or stock tank—at least 12″ tall with room for growth.
  • Heat Source: A red heat bulb in a clamp lamp. Avoid white lights at night and do not use heat plates for day-old shipped chicks, as they may not recognize them as heat sources.
  • Temperature: Start at 95°F. Lower the temp by 5°F each week until they’re fully feathered (around 6 weeks old).
  • Placement: Position the heat source to one side so chicks can self-regulate, moving between warm and cool zones.
  • Bedding: Use pine shavings, paper towels, or straw. Never use cedar—it’s toxic. Keep bedding dry and change as needed.

Know exactly what your chicks need to grow strong and healthy

  • Feed: Use a quality chick starter (18-20%) feed. Crumbles are easiest for tiny beaks.
  • Water: Always provide clean, room-temperature water. Change daily.
  • No Treats Yet: Avoid kitchen scraps, grit, or scratch grains during the first week. Let their digestive system develop gradually.
  • Clean Daily: Wash feeders and waterers regularly to prevent disease.

Early detection of health issues will be crucial.

  • Pasty Butt: A common issue where droppings block the vent. Clean gently with warm water and apply coconut oil to prevent recurrence.
  • Lethargy or Chilling: Chicks should be active and peeping. Cold or weak chicks need immediate warming and hydration.
  • Ventilation: Ensure good airflow without drafts. Avoid ammonia buildup from droppings.