Unleash the Cutest Chaos: Essential Tips for Raising Chicks in Spring 2025!

Spring 2025 is almost here, and what better way to celebrate than by welcoming adorable little chicks into your home? Amid rising egg prices and recent media coverage on bird flu, many people are turning to backyard farming for fresh eggs. This interesting hobby not only can be fun but also provides a reliable source of eggs in your own backyard. While raising chicks can be delightful, it does come with challenges. Being prepared is key!

In this post we talk about the being prepared with the basics and thinking ahead to what is needed. You can follow along this Spring as I show you our latest batch of chicks and what it takes to raise them to egg laying age.

Understanding the Basics of Chick Raising

Raising chicks starts with understanding their basic needs. Newly hatched chicks require a warm, safe, and comfortable environment to thrive. This involves setting up a brooder, a designated space for chicks to grow during their early weeks.

Temperature control is essential. Chicks need their environment to start at around 95°F during the first week and gradually decrease to about 70°F by week six. You can achieve this with heat lamps or brooder plates, which mimic the warmth of a mother hen.

We have our brooder set up in our heated shed. We have a heat lamp and a brooder plate for warmth and they have adequate area to get out of the heat as they please. For the first week, they spent most of their time under the brooder plate.

Clean bedding, like pine shavings, is crucial for hygiene. This bedding absorbs waste and keeps the space tidy, which is vital for your chicks' health.

Selecting the Right Breed

Choosing the right breed is essential for success in chick raising. With so many breeds available, each possessing unique characteristics and egg production rates, it's important to do your homework. For 2025, we were looking for good egg laying breeds that are both cold and heat tolerant to be able to thrive in our Midwest environment. We also wanted to purchase from a local feed store rather than buy from a hatchery. We ended up with

• 3 Rhode Island Reds: Hardy and prolific layers, they can produce up to 300 eggs a year.

• 3 California Tans:: Hybrid know as excellent egg layers up to 300 per year - a cross between Production Reds and White Leghorns

  
  

Consider your available space, climate, and personal preferences when selecting the best breed for your family. Researching each breed’s specific requirements can lead you to a well-informed choice.

Creating a Safe and Inviting Brooder Environment

Once you have chosen your chicks, your next step is to create a suitable brooder environment. Apart from maintaining the right temperature, ensure your brooder is spacious enough for all chicks to roam freely. A good rule of thumb is providing at least 0.5 square feet per chick for the first few weeks.

We currently use a collapsible playpen like the one linked here https://amzn.to/3DGLJVN

We place pine shavings in the bottom as bedding to absorb liquid from their waste as well as to maintain heat.

Place food and water in easily accessible containers. Choose shallow dishes to prevent drowning, and make sure fresh water is always available. Chicks are adventurous, so consider providing small roosting items or chick-friendly objects to keep them entertained.

Regularly change the bedding to prevent bacteria growth and ensure proper ventilation. Good airflow helps reduce the risk of respiratory issues.

Feeding Your Chicks Right

A proper diet is critical for your chicks' growth and health. Start them with a specially formulated chick starter feed that is rich in protein, about 20-24%, promoting rapid growth. Transition to a grower feed as they mature.

Keeping feeders and waterers clean reduces waste. Consider using feeders designed to minimize spillage, encouraging your chicks to eat effectively while keeping their area tidy.

Chicks like to scratch around and there have been many days in the past when I see a huge mess from the growing chicks throwing their food everywhere and filling the water dish with shavings

Socializing and Handling Your Chicks

Regular socialization is vital for your chicks. Handling them gently helps them become comfortable around people, making it easier to manage them as they grow.

Begin by calmly picking them up and letting them explore your hands or lap. The more you interact with them, the more they will trust you, creating a bond that helps during later stages of their growth.

We've had varying levels of success in this area with a few chickens allowing us to hold them and pick them up while others run screaming from our presence.

Ensuring Health and Wellness

Monitoring your chicks’ health is crucial in preventing illnesses. Watch for signs of distress, such as lethargy or changes in droppings. Healthy chicks are usually active and have bright eyes.

Pasty butt is something to watch closely for in chicks, where feces can get stuck on the chickens vent effectively plugging them. These California Tans seem to be prone to this condition and I am checking them every day.

Unfortunately, we lost one of the California Tans a few days after we brought it home. It was active and moving in the morning and by afternoon had fallen into distress. We tried unsuccessfully to save it. This is the first time losing a chick that we had purchased so it was pretty sad for me.

I am extra diligent with the rest of them to ensure that they are thriving.

Preparing for Outdoor Living

Stay tuned to see how the chicks grow and how we get them ready to transition to our outside coop