The rules stay the same, but there’s more than one way to raise chicks. If you’re looking for new ideas, answers, or help with a special problem, experts have lots of tips. By checking out different opinions, you’ll find many ways to care for chicks while still following the basic rules.
Raising Baby Chicks | TBN Ranch
Everything you need to know, step by step, to prepare for, and manage baby chicks. Research, have a plan, be prepared, and know what to expect; these four things will help ease your commitment, so there’s more time to enjoy your birds.
These are valid questions, and certainly something you should prepare yourself before you buy those cute little chicks at the feed store. Chicks are tiny and super easy to manage for the first couple of weeks. But, about the time they reach 3 weeks of age, they will begin to outgrow the brooder box and become a bit of a chore to clean up after. They will most likely be in a box in your house or garage with a heat lamp dangling overhead until they reach a minimum of 4 weeks of age. By this time they are still about two weeks shy of being fully feathered and ready to be moved to the outdoor coop. From day old to six weeks is a long time, and indeed a commitment. During this time you are going to be busy cleaning the brooder box every day multiple times. They will also need to be slowly weaned off a heat source before moving them to a coop. Timing is everything, make sure to buy your chicks when the temperatures where you live aren’t extreme. Otherwise, you’ll be struggling to either keep six-week-old chicks warm or cool during the transition from indoors to out. Keeping chickens can be fun and easy to care for, but you just can’t skimp when setting up their housing, one way or another you’ll pay for it. In other words, chickens are expensive, no matter how you slice or dice it, that first fresh egg from even a small backyard flock will cost at a minimum, about $800+. It’s true! That’s a lot of store-bought shelf eggs. But everything comes with a price, the value of fresh eggs vs shelf eggs is something only you can decide. I’ve thought about the cost-effectiveness of raising chickens, and it doesn’t add up. I’ve done the math, and well…there’s just no way! A dozen eggs can be bought for about $2.50 here in Phoenix, sometimes even less. It costs more to feed a small flock than it does to buy eggs! A $25+ 40lb bag of layer pellets for six hens will last about 30 days. Keep in mind, your hen’s rate of lay will significantly decrease in the winter and during molting. And, you’ll be feeding those hens for 5 to 6 months before they even reach their point of lay. Even raising meat birds can’t possibly be cost-effective. I can go to any grocery store in town and buy a hot fully cooked rotisserie chicken for only $7.00! Oh my, it would cost me way more to feed that bird, and then I have to slaughter it too? Nah… I’ll pass. There is an expense involved for the bedding in the coop and nesting area too. Pine shavings, hay, or straw will be necessary not only for the hen’s comfort, but it will keep the hen’s house cleaner and much easier to maintain. The bigger the coop, the easier it will be to keep clean, but bigger also means more bedding to buy. It also means your hens will be happier, and better egg producers. It’s like anything else, better always comes with a higher price tag. Chickens are fun to watch, bring much enjoyment, and having fresh eggs is wonderful. There is no dispute over fresh eggs being a healthier choice, just be sure you are willing to put in the effort for the benefits.
The subject of how much space per bird is often a question of great debate. There are minimum requirement guidelines, but most chicken keepers would agree that 1 foot per chicken is a cramped environment. If your flock is not allowed to free range during the day and is kept constantly in cramped quarters, you’re going to find yourself scrambling around looking for a way to separate the docile birds from the aggressive ones. A pecking order is established in all flocks, confined or not. If there isn’t enough room for the weaker birds to escape trouble, you’ll be pretty frazzled by their battles and the sometimes the unfortunate outcome. You can get away with a small housing space if your chickens will be free-range during the day. When it’s all said and done, at the end of each day there is usually only one argument… the nests. This problem is usually resolved quickly by the boss hens who choose first, leaving the weaker birds with what’s left. The best living arrangement for your flock is to offer them space, and the more the better. Happy chickens are those who are free from conflict. Happy chickens are healthy chickens, and that means better egg production. Recommended Space per Chicken, My Opinion… At a minimum, 2 square feet of floor space in the coop if your chickens are allowed to free range or have a fenced area attached to the housing area. If your birds are confined all the time, 3-4 square feet of floor space. You won’t gain anything by trying to house too many birds in a small area, the truth is, happy birds fill the egg basket plain and simple.
TBN Ranch Chicken Keeping Resources 