How to Feed Baby Chicks

Every Easter, hundreds of chicks are delivered in baskets to new parents who usually have no idea how to feed them. Feeding baby chicks is not that tough, but it does take a bit of patience.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• warm box/incubator
• Feeder

1. Make sure you're baby chicks are kept warm. For the first week, the temperature should be kept at 90 degrees (F), but drop the temperature by 5 degrees each week until they are 6 weeks old. A baby chick may not eat if the temperature is not correct.

2. Get you baby chicks used to water. Newly hatched chicks should have their beaks dipped in their water dish until they become accustomed to it. THis also helps them find their water dish in the cage or pen. Nutritional supplements, either store bought or sweetener like molasses or sugar, should be added to the water.

3. Buy a chick feeder, which are available at your local feed store. A chick feeder is a long, thin feeding tray with several cut outs for chicks to feed from. This will work until the chicks are about 6 weeks old.

4. Fill your feeder half full to discourage the chicks from scattering the food around, wasting the feed.

5. Switch from chick starter crumbles after 3 weeks. A grower diet is more appropriate until the chicks are 10 weeks old.

6. Keep the feeder clean. To avoid disease, immediately remove any food or feeder that has feces, dirt or liter in it.

Tips & Warnings

• Try placing small piles of feed on pieces of paper for newborn chicks. This gets them used to eating. The paper can be removed when the chicks are eating from the feeder.
• To help the chicks digest, sprinkle a small amount of grit (found in your feed store) if your chicks are eating grain. baby chicks on mash or crumbles do not need the extra grit added.

[Rockstarsmommy]

on 9/20/2009 Great advice on husbandry of baby chicks!
Thanks for the advise