subject: All About Raising Baby Chicks [print this page] All About Raising Baby Chicks All About Raising Baby Chicks
In a homestead, there are several types of animals or pets that one can keep for various reasons. As many are seen to offer company, others have more benefits than it is thought. Chickens are one type of birds that are found at home. They are important in that they have many benefits compared to other bird species. It is therefore important to know what is involved in raising chickens in case you want to keep these birds or you already have them.
There are various types of chickens that you can decide to keep at home. The layers are best known for eggs, while the broilers are suitable for meat. It is therefore upon the farmer to decide what he wants to have as the end product from these birds.
Raising chickens starts with baby chicken birds. You can get these baby chicks from a local feed store or buy them online. The whole experience of raising these innocent birds to their growth level is a rewarding experience and fun for the whole family. Just like a baby, puppies or kitten, baby chicks require special attention in terms of food and shelter and other equipment for their well being and safety.
When raising chickens especially chicks, you mostly need to consider where to store them. You should ensure that you have a warm box; this can be a cardboard box or a plastic storage bin. Each chick should be provided with space worth two square feet box. In the box, you need to place some absorbent bedding so as to offer some warmth to the chicks. This can occupy one inch of the box when you use pine shavings. It is advisable not to use cedar shavings because they are said to cause some respiratory problems for the chicks.
To ensure that the chicks feel warm all through, you need to attach an infrared heat lamp of about 250 watts in the centre of the box. You will need to adjust the temperatures on weekly basis till the chicks are fully grown. You also need to place a chick waterer in the warming box. The number of waterers to place in the box will depend with the number of chicks that you have, since one waterer serves 15 chicks.
Just like any living thing, food is important to the chicks. You should start with starter feed which is in the form of mash or crumble for easy digestion. Use a bowl or a metal or plastic feeder to prevent the chicks from walking or popping in the food. With all these instructions adhered to, you will have fun in raising chickens.
welcome to Insurances.net (https://www.insurances.net)
