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Chicken Help

We found 25 results for category 'Baby Chick Care'

Q: What is this black spot or thin string attached to my baby chick's rear end?

A: It's your chick's umbilical cord, and if you notice, that black, scabby spot or string will be below your check's vent or "pooper." Be SURE not to... read more

Q: How do I transition my juvenile chicks to their outdoor coop when it's cold outside?

A: There is no perfect age to transition your chicks to their outdoor coop, but generally by the time they are 5 or 6 weeks old, they're getting large... read more

Q: What is a pasty vent, and how do I treat it?

A: A pasty vent, or "pasting up," "pasty butt," or "vent gleet," is a stress-induced condition in which droppings dry and cake up around the read more

Q: All about Omphalitis disease

A: Imagine a belly-button infection--that's basically Omphalitis. Developing or newly-hatched baby chicks are susceptible to infection of their navels... read more

Q: At what age can my chickens begin eating treats?

A: We don't really recommend feeding your new baby chicks treats right away, because they should first learn what their feed is so they will be able to... read more

Q: My chick's toes are all curled up--what's wrong with her?

A: Sometimes a chick will develop or hatch with a condition called curled toes or curly toes in one or both feet.

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Q: What do I need to know about raising chicks?

Educate Yourself

Huzzah! You're here to learn about raising baby chicks, which is more than some people do! (You'd be... read more

Q: How do we make sure that our older laying hens don't eat our younger chickens' starter feed, and vice versa, since the two age groups are meant to have different feeds?

A: Good question! Typically, you don't want your chicks to eat layer feed since it has too much calcium for them, and you don't want your laying hens to... read more

Q: What kind and how much feed should I give my flock at each stage of development?

A: As baby chicks and waterfowl grow, their nutritional needs change. It can be confusing to know how much and what kind of feed to give them at each... read more

Q: How can I stop my baby chicks from pecking each other in the brooder?

A: In most cases, you needn't worry. When you first receive them, your little chicks are hungry, and their instincts can tell them to peck at anything... read more

Q: How can I keep my brooder warm during a power outage so my baby chicks don't die?

A: Power loss can happen at any time due to storms, fallen trees, traffic accidents, construction, lightning, and more. A prolonged power outage can be... read more

Q: How do I help a chick that isn't eating or drinking?

Well, first remember that if you hatched these babies at home, chicks don't actually need to eat or drink for the first two or three... read more

Q: All about Coccidiosis disease

A: Coccidiosis is very common in chicks, especially ones that may be stressed from shipping or from being introduced to a new location. You can help by... read more

Q: Do I need to give my shipped chicks vitamins and electrolytes when they arrive?

We don't generally think it is a good idea to offer anything but plain, clean water unless your chicks are exceedingly stressed.

A: Medicated feed is formulated for chicks to help them combat read more

Q: Can I use a fan to cool the brooder down? My chicks are arriving in the heat of summer, and my brooder is in a hot room.

A: Baby chicks need it very warm to be comfortable--most people would call it hot. For the first week of their lives, they need temperatures of about 95... read more

Q: Are there special preparations I should make if I want to have a broody hen adopt and raise my shipped chicks?

A: There is little more beautiful than a mother hen sheltering chicks beneath her wings.

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Q: I want to get a chick for Easter for my son's basket, and then find a farmer to adopt it when it has grown. How do I do that?

A: No, no, no... you don't want to do that. It's is a bad idea for many reasons.

First, one chicken raised alone will often die of... read more

Q: Why is my chick's beak getting crooked, and what should I do?

A: Usually, chickens with crossed beaks or scissor beaks lead long, normal lives.

In most cases, this defect is caused by the chick... read more

Q: How can I get my brooder to 95 degrees?

A: First remember that it only needs to be 95° directly under the heat lamp, and only in their first week of life. (You'll be reducing the... read more

Q: Is it ever okay to help a chick out of the shell?

A: Generally speaking you will NOT want to intervene in the hatching process when incubating read more

Q: All about Splay Leg, a.k.a. Spraddle Leg

A: Spraddle leg, also called "splay leg," can be caused or exacerbated by brooding on a slick surface such as newspaper. (We recommend read more

Q: How do I introduce my new chicks to other young chicks in the brooder?

Introducing new hens to an established flock can be tricky (see how to do that in the related questions below)---but luckily it's much easier to... read more

Q: Chick illnesses and issues (overview)

A: When you're worried your new baby chicks are ill, there are a number of things that could be responsible!

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Q: What is quarantine and when should I quarantine my flock?

A: In your backyard flock, quarantine is the act of isolating a chicken or chickens who has been potentially or actually exposed to contagious illness... read more