You will need for every 100-150 chicks for first 2 weeks
1 brooder with 2 meters diameter
1 175 watt infra red heating light
1 starter for broiler or layers
1 pine shavings
1 2L drinker
1 2kg feeder
1 aquarium thermometer
Location
Day old chicks need a constantly warm and draft-free environment, it needs to be predator-proof, they’ll smell, and they create amazing amounts of dust; so a garage, barn, workshop, or location outside your home is usually the best choice.
Heating
The day-old baby chicks need to be kept at a constant 35 degrees their first week, 32 degrees the second week, and so on (reducing 3-4 degrees per week) until they’re five to six weeks old or reach the ambient outdoor temperatures. A 175-watt, red infrared heat lamp suspended over the middle of the brooder is the recommended source for this heat. A red light helps prevent pecking issues and is less stressful for chickens than white light.
Broilers (Ross & Cobb)
1 x broiler starter
Place food in feeder as required. Ensure feed is available at all times.
See here for suggested vaccination schedule for broiler chicks.
Download a suggested growing schedule for broiler chicks.
Download a growing guide for broiler chicks.
Layers (Boschvelder, Australorps, Potch Koekkoek, Lohmans, Rhode Island Red, Hyline)
1x pullet starter
Place large pas of food on ground wet a 1/3 of feed.
After 7 (seven) days during the day put infra red lights off when temperature is higher than 20◦C
After 14 (fourteen) days let them outside during the day but allow access back into cage.
General
Visit chicks often to see if all is in order.
Put coarse saw dust as bedding not fine sawdust. Replace when wet or soiled.
Do not allow strangers into chick houses. Keep good bio security in tact.
Do not place food or water near infra red light.
Allow sunlight in on chicks, this will develop feathers much quicker.
Keep to inoculation program.
Ensure there is enough space for chicks to move away from light.
Put down 2L water fonts with some electrolytes or booster in the water and refresh water 3 x daily cool water.
Remove sick or weak chicks and keep them separate until healthy and strong.
Pasty butt
Once everyone appears to be eating and drinking, they should all be checked for “pasting up”. This is a condition where their droppings cake over the vent area, preventing them from passing more droppings. This condition is fatal if not remedied, so it’s very important to continue checking the chicks the first week, and fixing any pasting up that’s observed. Pasting up can be fixed by taking a paper towel, dunking it in warm water, and gently using it to remove the blockage. Remember gently, or the fuzzy down will come off too (and the other birds may then pick on this area). If the blockage isn’t coming off, you can dunk the chicks back end in warm water until things loosen up
Day old chick losses
In each batch of day-old chicks, no matter how good the care, it’s likely that a few won’t make it. Expect to lose one or two for no apparent reason.
It’s critical that they’re kept at the right temperature, have clean water, get unlimited food, and are protected from predators; but if they’re given good care and there are still losses, it’s important to realize some chicks are simply not hardy at birth.
Assistance.
Please WhatsApp on 063 781 8871 for any questions or support on growing day olds
