Poultry Care Info.
>> Click here for safe handling instructions for poultry How you start and grow your baby chicks and other poultry is very important. From Welp, you will receive the finest chicks and other poultry that modern breeding can produce. If you feed and manage them along the lines we outline here, they should perform extremely well for you. If you "cut corners" at any point, the chances are good that it will cost you in the long run.
Litter/Bedding should cover the entire starting area to a depth of 2-3 inches. Peat moss, wood chips and rice hulls work the best. Never cover litter/bedding with paper of any kind. The chicks will slip on paper, and leg spraddling can become a problem. This problem is irreversible so please do not use paper. Heat...heat lamps or brooders should have been on for 24 hours and the temperature should be in the 90-95 degree range with the bulb of the thermometer 2-3 inches off the floor. Drop the temperature 5 degrees per week to 70 degrees after which the birds should need little or no heat. Figure 2-125 watt heat bulbs per 100 chicks. Also, be sure you have room in the area you keep them so that they can all be under the heat lamp or out from the heat if they need to. Water...room temperature water should be in the waterers when the chicks arrive. To this first water, add one-fourth cup of sugar per gallon. Let the chicks drink this water for one hour before providing them with feed. Use fresh water for the next 2 days. After this time you can provide them with 3 days of Biotin Stress Pak or Vitamins/Electrolytes, and then give the fresh water again. Use Vitamins/Electrolytes as recommended by the manufacturer. Start with two - 1 gallon waterers per 100 chicks. Figure one linear inch of watering space per chick. *Terramycin…this should be given when needed. Overuse of antibiotics can decrease its effectiveness when actually needed. We would suggest using this only when chicks are sick. Give dosage as suggested on package.Feed...See feed and other requirements listed for each poultry type below. Pay special attention for feed recommendation for cornish rock broilers. Predators...can be devastating to all types of poultry. Cats, dogs, skunks, and mink are some of the worst offenders. Make sure your building area is tight against animals of all kinds.
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