How to House Baby Chicks

Whether you are raising baby chicks for your own use or for commercial purposes, there are some general guidelines for providing a safe shelter during the brooding stage. The good news is that chicks quickly mature into healthy adult chickens within a few months. Raising baby chicks is a good way to teach children how to care for animals while developing responsibility.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Plan ahead. If this is your first time to house baby chicks, it's imperative to remember that they will quickly double, then triple in size. Small brooding boxes made with wooden sides and mesh bottoms are fine while they're small but soon you'll need something bigger.

2. Sex the baby chicks within four or five weeks by noticing the comb and spur development. When housing chicks in large numbers, most poultry producers will hire a sexer to come out within a few days of hatching to separate the males from the females. These are trained specialists who determine the sexes long before the typical owner can.

3. Remove male chicks from the brooder house. Unfortunately, these baby chicks will probably not survive since they will not lay eggs. Even in a hobby farm environment, more than one rooster will lead to fights and sometimes the roosters will maim or kill weaker female chickens.

4. Keep the facilities clean whether or not you are a commercial brooder. If you raise chickens for sale or for eggs, inspectors will routinely check your facility to see if you are abiding by the sanitary standards set forth by the USDA and your state.