Lifestyle, food and drink, and our family life and travel adventures.
If you are an avid animal lover, you will want to raise chickens in your backyard at some point. Bringing baby chicks home is an incredible experience, whether you buy them or hatch them yourself. Either way, they need a lot of attention and care during the early stages of their life. You can do your bit by prepping your brooder to keep the little ones safe and healthy. The preparation should start early so that you are ready to welcome your baby chicks when they arrive. You need to set it up and ensure that everything is in place. Here are some tips that get you on track.
Provide enough space
Even as your new chicks are tiny beings, they need ample space to thrive and grow into healthy chickens. The brooder is their first home, and it must be spacious enough to provide 3 to 4 square feet of space per chick. It is a good idea to have a circular and expandable space. It can accommodate the tiny birds as they grow down the line. At the same time, the brooder should be comfortable, warm, and draft-free.
Install a heat lamp
When it comes to warmth, you cannot rely on sunlight alone. Baby chicks need the right temperature to stay safe, and you must go the extra mile during the winter months. Hanging a heat lamp in the centre of the brooder ensures an optimal temperature. Install it 20 inches above the litter for safety. Set a temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit under the heat lamp to keep the birds comfortable. You can reduce the heat by 5 degrees every week after the first week until reaching 55 degrees.
Set up comfortable bedding
Setting up comfortable bedding for the tiny ones should be next on your wishlist before bringing them home. The best bedding for baby chicks is made of all-natural materials such as pine or cedar flakes. Look for absorbent materials that stay dry and keep the brooder odour-free. Also, invest time in removing the wet bedding daily to prevent pathogen build-up. Clean and odour-free bedding ensures long term health of the birds.
Light up the brooder
Baby chicks need light during the early growth stages, so get your brooder ready with proper lighting. A duration of 18 – 22 hours of light is ideal for the first week. You can reduce it to 16 hours during the growth stages. Install a 40-watt bulb for every 100 square feet of floor space to provide an optimal light intensity for the growing brood.
Fit a feeder and waterer
Welcoming your new chicks requires a good understanding of their nutritional needs. As the birds grow, they need food and water to stay healthy. You will have to fit the brooder with a feeder and waterer to ensure ample nutrition for the birds. Each chick must get a minimum of 4 linear inches of feeder space. Low-lying feeders are ideal for young ones. A waterer is an essential requirement to give your brood a warm welcome.
Getting your brooder ready for new arrivals requires some effort, but it is worthwhile. Ensure the essentials, and you are all set with a healthy home for the little ones.
This is a collaborative post.
Welcome to Birds and Lilies! I'm Lou: mother, blogger and freelance writer. This is my lifestyle blog, where I talk about motherhood, infertility and IVF, beauty, my love for food and wine, as well as my thoughts about stuff, and our real-life and travel adventures.
Contact: [email protected]
