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7 Supplies to Get to Properly Raise Baby Chicks

Need to know what Supplies to get to properly raise baby chicks?

If you’re a baby chick lover like me, you’ll want to know what supplies to get to properly raise baby chicks. Keeping baby chicks are one of the most enjoyable activities. They are just so fluffy and cute. You just can’t have too many but you want them to be as healthy as possible.

And no matter how many or what breeds you get, you’re going to need the same supplies. But maybe you’re new to raising chickens 101 and you don’t quite know what those essential supplies are.

In this post, I’m going to:

  • Tell you about 7 Supplies to get to properly raise baby chicks.
  • Why these 7 supplies are so pertinent in raising chickens 101…specifically healthy baby chicks!
  • The Basics for how to care for New Baby Chicks successfully.

I’m going to help you know what to buy and I’m even going to include some links to the products I use.

Listen to the Podcast:

Supplies to get to properly raise baby chicks

Brooder

A brooder is a container or save space for baby chicks to grow in the first weeks. It should be warm and draft free.

Your box can be homemade or just using something you have on hand. We have used packing totes, card board boxes and just an old stock tank in the barn.

Size does matter – You need to make sure your chicks have plenty of room but not too much. They need just the right amount of room to snuggle but not fight. To just be comfortable.

This box has room for about 10 chicks. When I used the stock tank pictured above, we had 50 chicks in there. It’s important to just watch your chicks and make sure they have enough room. If they are pecking each other, you’ll know you need to regroup your little flocklings.

Light

For your brooder, you really need to install a heat lamp like this one. Chicks need to stay warm and baby chicks can’t really control their internal body temperature very well at all.

Even if you have your chicks in a temperature controlled and warm room, they are still going to need light. Just using a lamp or solar lamp will help keep them vibrant and moving around to stay warm.

Feeders

So, you can use pretty much anything for feeders for baby chicks. I have used empty egg cartons to very young chicks, which worked well.

Then, when they started destroying the egg cartons, I upgraded to a self feeder like this one. Since you want them to eat all the food they want, you can get self feeders with troughs for chicks.

Water Container

Water is so important for baby chicks. Not only that, but not every chick waterer is safe to use.

The chick waterer needs to be just the right depth. If you have a waterer that is too deep, chicks could drown if they fall in. On the contrary, if the container is too shallow, chicks might not get enough water.

The other thing to keep in mind is the temperature of the water. It needs to be warm for the same reason as keeping the chick’s body temperature in check.

Bedding

So, baby chicks might be cute. But they can be a big mess. It’s important to keep their brooder pen clean and comfy.

They need to have a bedding that doesn’t stick to them but that they can snuggle in. Wood chips work pretty well as well as straw.

Also, keep in mind that maintaining a clean chick brooder takes work. You’re probably going to have to clean it out every three days or so and put new bedding in. They need to have a dry place to lay to keep warm.

Healthy Chick Starter Feed

Chicks need nourishment for a healthy start. They need a good protein starter feed that is easy for them to eat and digest.

I really love crumbles for that reason. There’s a lot of different brands out there and I prefer a starter that says it’s for chicks like this one.

You’re going to have to teach them how to eat it. I usually gently dip their beaks in the feeders full of food to help them find it. It only takes one time and they will run back to the food again and again.

Treats Chicks will Love

As chicks grow, they’ll move from chick starter to becoming interested in other types of food. Treats are only optional, but a great way to really connect with your chicks.

Chickens love to snack on meal worms and oats. You can make your own baked treats for your chickens or you can purchase already mixed trail mixes and treats. You can also grow fodder for them!

Supplies to get to properly raise baby chicks
For Further Reading on Starting Baby Chicks

So, now you should have an idea about what you need. These are the exact supplies my family and I use to start baby chicks:

  1. Brooder for Warmth
  2. Lighting
  3. Easy Access Feeders
  4. Automatic Water Containers
  5. Comfy Bedding
  6. Healthy yummy chick starter
  7. Treats


I hope you now know exactly what you need to get started raising baby chicks. But that’s not all.

If you want to read more about how to jump start baby chicks for success, click here to read that.

If you loved this post about the supplies to get to properly raise baby chicks, please feel free to share it with someone who would love it, too.

~ Much Love ~

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Cute, Fluffy & Yellow: 5 Steps to Jump Start Baby Chicks

Monday 19th of March 2018

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