You need to be prepared for raising chicks, the first 6 weeks of raising chicks can be easy with the right tools and knowledge.
What you need for raising chicks for the first six weeks: – a brooder – heat lamp or heating plate – thermometer – waterer – feeder – chick feed – we use medicated – bedding – we use pine shavings – vitamins and electrolytes – optional
It is very important to use bedding that will prevent your chicks from slipping and getting slayed legs. We use a couple of inches of pine shavings. They’ll quickly start scratching away like adult chickens too.
I prefer to hang my chick feed and waterer, just barely off the ground, off the shavings. It helps to keep food waste and wet shavings down when they make a mess.
But it is important to use warm, room-temperature, water. You don’t want to shock warm little bodies with cold water.
Pick your heating source. A heat lamp or a heating plate. Heating plates I have been told by friends can be hard to clean and get gross but you have more control over the temperature as the heat is in one place.
If they’re huddled up together under the lamp, they’re too cold. If they’re trying to stay as far away from the heat as they can, they’re too warm.