Baby Chick Care

1. Start all baby chicks on a 20% Chick Starter (Medicated). Carry them through 8 weeks of age on this for all chicks other than Cornish-Rock broilers. (See details for starting broilers under Cornish Rock Chick Care). At 8-9 weeks switch your egg-type, bantams, rare and unusual breed chicks to an 18% grower ration. At 16 weeks of age, commence feeding them a 16% Complete Layer ration. We suggest that no grain be fed on the side during any period of the chick's life.

2. Water: start your newly arrived chicks as we outline in our general recommendations. That is…1/4 cup sugar per gallon in the initial water they receive…and let them drink just that water for one hour before setting the feeders into the pen. This is an excellent way to help cover the stress of shipping, etc. After this, give them fresh water to drink.

3. Provide 2.5 inches of feeder space and 1 inch of watering space per chick for the first 10-12 weeks. You will need to expand that a little more as the bird gets older. Provide 1/2 square foot of floor space for the first 2 weeks. Expand that to one square foot until housing time (layers). At time of housing, figure 1.75 to 2 square feet per bird for regular sized chickens and 1 to 1.5 square feet per bird for the smaller bantams.