Raising Baby Chicks – Everything You Need To Know

Raising playful baby chicks isn’t too hard if you know the ins and outs.

We’ll guide you through the process!

Getting Your Chicks

First of all, you need to get some chicks!

You can hatch your own eggs, but prepare a decent-sized incubator if you do so.

The other option is buying day-old chicks:

• locally, in your neighborhood, during springtime
• from a small farm, hatchery, or supply store
• online with shipping to your door

You can also buy ready-to-lay pullets if you are eager for eggs, but where’s the fun in that?

Setting up the Brooder

First of all, you will need to set up your chick brooder. You can’t just place your chicks in the coop with the adults; they need a clean and safe environment to grow up.

Prepare the brooder before the chicks arrive so the brooder has the perfect warm and cozy climate for the incoming chicks.

To set up a good brooder, you will need:

• a container (can be anything, like cardboard, wood or plastic)
• a heat lamp and a thermometer (or alternative heaters)
• waterers and feeders
• clean bedding

Let’s see what these are all about.

The Brooder Container

You will need a container to prevent your chicks from running free. Commercial brooders are available, but you can get creative with all kinds of materials, like cardboard and plastic containers, or create your own wooden brooder.

You can choose to buy an all-in-one brooder set, like the RentACoop Little Red Barn we tried out, or make one yourself.

Chicks don’t need as much space as full-grown chickens. How large should a brooder be? The brooder should provide at least 2.5 sq feet per chick, but as always, the more, the better. Keep in mind that they will grow pretty quickly and need some space.

A Heat lamp and a Thermometer

Chicks can’t regulate their body temperature yet, so they need external heat.

Make sure to get a red lamp!

The traditional white lamps keep them up and restless, which results in stress and undesirable behavior. They will start pecking each other, and it will impact their growth.

A red lamp will keep them docile and calm. Make sure to avoid bulbs with Teflon coating, as this will poison the chicks. Place the thermometer under the lamp.

Alternative Heat Sources

A heat lamp is inexpensive but uses much power and can be dangerous. A safer alternative is to use radiant heat.

You have a couple of options:

• adjustable chick brooder heating plates
• a commercial brooder, like the Brinsea EcoGlow Safety
• create your own Mama Heating Pad in the brooder
• If you like to do things on your own, you can build a low-budget Mama Heating Pad (MHP). It’s basically a wire rack or fencing that you place very low to the ground, where you attach a heating pad. On top of it, put some protection like simple cardboard.