|
Basic Brooding Tips
Prepared by Bill Karcher
|
Before the chicks arrive: |
After the chicks arrive: |
|
Put down a 1 inch layer of pine shavings
|
Dip the chicks’ beaks in water |
|
Put brooder guard in place
|
Check temperature 3 or 4 times daily
- after week one, lower the temperature 5 degrees per week until you reach the outside temperature
|
|
Fill jugs with water, mix in molasses
(1 teaspoon per gallon)
|
Fill jugs with fresh water daily
- Molasses water can be used as long as necessary
- Wash waters weekly
- Increase water area as the birds demand more water and space
|
|
Fill feeders with starter crumbles
|
Add fresh feed daily, by the end of week one, move to a tube feeder
Offer free choice starter grit after the first week
|
|
Turn on heat source
(If using heat lamps, use red bulbs)
- Regulate heat to 95 degrees at chick height at the edge of the heat source
- Start heat at least 24 hours prior to chicks arrival
|
When the heat source is removed, be sure to offer a light source for 24 hour lighting to stimulate growth
and increase rate of gain. |
|
Be sure brooding area is draft free
|
Increase brooder area as the chicks grow and fill the existing space, usually beginning at about 10 days,
you will need to expand the brooding area |
|
Be sure brooding area is rodent free
|
Always keep your bedding dry
- Rule of Thumb: add 1 inch of
shavings for each week of age in market birds, allow the litter to build
up, only remove hard or wet bedding |
You can use a 10-gallon fish aquarium with a heating pad underneath so the babies can be kept at 98
degrees F at all times (until they have feathers). You'll need some type of cover for the aquarium to keep the warmth
constant, but also allows adequate air ventilation. Attach some type of fish thermometer to he aquarium so you can monitor
the temperature inside where the babies will be. In the bottom of the aquarium, use a Rubbermaid drawer liner cut to
size to prevent splay leg and lightly sprinkle PINE shavings (not cedar shavings or other) over the Rubbermaid drawer liner
to help keep the babies dry from their droppings (this will need to be changed daily). You can use any type of container
that is able to keep warmth inside and is easy to clean and disinfect.
Click the links HEN HOUSE of the MONTH CHICKEN TRACTOR GALLERY for some ideas on housing for your chickens.
Differences between the sexes
A young chicken is called a chick.
A male chicken is a cock
or a cockerel, depending on its age.
Similarly, a female chicken is called a pullet or a hen.
The age at which a pullet becomes a hen and a cockerel
becomes a cock depends on what type of chicken is being raised.
Purebred poultry producers have
very age-specific definitions.
A chicken is a cockerel or
pullet if it is less than one year of age.
After one year of age, the chicken is referred to as a hen
or cock.
In the commercial chicken industry a female
chicken is called a hen after it begins egg production (around five months of
age).
A sexually mature male chicken
(again, around five months of age) is referred to as a rooster.
|
