How to PLEASE a chick: Needs, wants, and a little spoilage around Suburbia or Farm

This is NOT a sponsored post.

I love chickens. When I bought my first 10 chicks I didn’t skimp. I went big. I bought two roosters and 8 Sex Link hens. Rather than wait to build the coup, fence in a pen, or build a barn… I will buy the animals first (within reason) because my ‘honey-do list’ gets done so much faster that way.  😊

When I lived in the suburbs, I would have gotten baby chicks so much sooner if I had known this…

You don’t need to live on a farm to raise chickens. Most cities/towns will allow you to have chickens in your yards as pets. However keep in mind that you most likely will NOT be free-ranging your birds. This tends to make for unhappy neighbors when they find chicken poo on their decks, porches, and patios. But it’s simple, so read on….

I bought a small coup from the Supply store when I was there. It was around $200 for the entire pre-made coup (I only spent $5 on the chickens). But as I was walking around the store, I thought “What do  I need to keep my chickens happy?” I tend to spoil my animals with love, treats, and toys so going all out for some baby chicks wouldn’t have been at all surprising. However it takes very little to please a bunch of cute baby chicks who will soon be laying the best eggs you’ve ever tasted.

Remember: baby chicks are cute, but little chicks grow to be BIG chickens so think ahead.

Here’s what it takes to please a chick:

Coup:

They need fresh air in their coup so a small opening with a screen and a door will allow you to open the window on warmer days. They poop everywhere inside so the fresh air will help.

Baby chickens need a place to stay warm and feel safe. They don’t see well in dim lighting so they need something that is open (no obstacles or things that will hurt/cut them). They need bars to roost on but that will be as they get bigger. Baby chicks do not fly well at first so falling off a roosting bar will make a ‘thud’ and hurt your feathery little friend, so start small.

Baby chicks huddle close to stay warm and safe so they will be happy having a coup with nesting boxes All 10 of my baby chicks cuddled into one nesting box at first. Now only one chicken will fit in the nesting box so you get the idea how quickly they grow.

They also need to walk around and lie down when they are sleepy so buying some pine shavings for the coup floor will help keep them warm and catch the poo. It also makes for soft walking on new baby chick feet. (You’d walk funny two with only 3 toes so be considerate of your new feather-baby).  

Warmth:

Baby chicks are used to being kept warm under their momma hen. They don’t regulate heat well so if the nights are cooler or if the Spring warmer weather hasn’t arrived yet, a heat light will help keep them cozy warm. Just keep the light up far enough that they can back away if its too hot, or move under it if they are too cold (it’s like an overhead mini-campfire for chicks – without the flame of course).

Water:

Chicks like water – fresh water. They will poo in it, toss pine shavings in it, through their food in it, and always shed feathers in it. Use a waterer that is easy to clean, easy to fill, and easy for the chicks to reach. If you are tending to chicks over the colder Winter months, you’ll need to provide a heated waterer – chicks can’t lick an ice cube 😊

Hydro-Hen®:

Hydro-hen® by MannaPro® is  like Gatorade® and Activia® all wrapped-up into one great supplement for chicks. It provides them vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes for the stressful days of coming to their forever home. It contains probiotics and acidifiers to aid in digestion and is also very good for hot days or times when you think they may not be feeling at their best. A little goes a long way and it is really not that expensive (and it comes in a resealable bag with its own scoop and directions – so you gotta love that!).

Food:

I start my chicks on starter feed. You can buy starter feed at the local supply store or a feed mill. I keep the chicks on this starter feed for about 2 months to give them a good, healthy, head start. The protein level in this feed is around 15% which is adequate for egg laying hens I raise.

At about 2 months I then switch my chicks to a grower feed as they are big enough to start being outside and catching their own bugs and eating grit. There really is not a big difference between starter and grower feed. I have started them on grower feed and have not seen any difference in growth. Note that as long as your chicks are able to be out and free-ranging for their own food, you’ll worry less about having their feeder full all of the time. When they can find their own food, it’s cheaper on  your wallet but this alternative is just not beneficial for suburban ‘back-yard’ chicks. Feed bags contain all of the information that you need to feed your feather-babies throughout their entire life.  

FEED CONSISTENCIES:

MASH:

Mash is a term for feed whereas they food is finely ground. Your birds will not be able to pick out the different parts of the feed so every bit that they take in is nutritionally balanced.

CRUMBLES:

Crumbles are courser than mash. Crumbles are generally cheaper than mash and/or pellets. They provide the same nutritional needs to your birds, just some pieces are bigger (resemble granola) and can be separated from the rest of the feed by picky eaters.

PELLETS:

Feed that is ground and hardened into tube shaped tablets. These are bigger so feeding to baby chicks is not advisable.

Layering Feed:

Layering Feed is designed to provide the optimum nutrients and minerals needed for egg laying chickens. Many state that you should mix this with water but I just keep it alongside the water bowl and I have never had a problem. (I also feed this to my ducks).

It is always advisable to follow the feeding directions of the back of the feed bag or ask some of the workers as the feed store. Your birds will not get the protein, calcium, and other nutrients that they need to stay healthy and produce great eggs, without a strong, regimented, feeding schedule.

Scratch:

When they chicks get bigger and start to finding their own food in my fields and pastures, I still feed them morning and night with Scratch. This feed can be found at the local Supply store or feed mill. It contains corn, oats, and wheat. The mill can sell this cheaper than other feed of this type because they buy it in bulk and repackage it (usually into 50lb bags). Anytime you can get feed repackaged in the feed mill’s own packaging rather than those made by large feed manufacturing companies, ask for it. It saves on your wallet.

Grit:

You do not need to provide grit to your chicks as the pieces are small enough to be digested without help. When the birds start to free-range, they will find their own grit in little stones that helps them digest their food. If your birds do not have access to the grit needed to break down their food (such as in suburban ‘back yard’ settings or during snowy Winter months), crumble egg shells into fine bits. They provide your birds the grit needed for digestion and Calcium. You can also buy grit at the Supply or Feed store, but if you just save your eggshells it’s much cheaper.

Treats:

Once a day I feed my chicks a handful of dried Mealworms. You can purchase these at the Supply store or feed mill but be warned, they are expensive (about $15-35 for a larger bag). They are a great protein treat for any insect eating bird (chickens, ducks, and all wild birds). Mealworms are like crack-cocaine for chickens and they will eat all the money from your wallet if you let them.

This list will get you started on your way to owning, training, loving, and enjoying the benefits of chickens. In later posts I will differentiate between breeds, training your birds, feed and feeders, grit, and other treats for your birds.

It’s easy to please a chick in your back yard or on your new farm. The point to remember is that when they are happy and healthy, you will enjoy having daily fresh eggs and watching them grow.

~ttfn Sue 😊