If we find a newborn chicken chick without her mother and we decided to raise him, it will be essential that we inform ourselves about the care he needs so that we can make him grow connected.In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will explain how to raise chicks , because so that they survive we will have to provide them with very specific conditions for both housing and temperature and for feeding.
Of course, any sign of discomfort is a veterinary practice, so even if we know how to care for chicks , if ours does not develop properly or shows warning symptoms, we will have to visit the specialist.
How to care for chicks?
As in all animal species, the ideal is that the offspring develop in their environment and with their parents but, if we are in need of taking care of an orphan chick, the most important thing is that let's establish their age , because how to raise chicks will depend on their life time.
Thus, until they reach the stage where they can already fend for themselves, we will have to provide them with different conditions of temperature, humidity and food.In the following sections we will focus on explaining how to care for a chicken chick at home, at a particular level, to turn it into a company animal.
How to raise newborn chicks?
Without a doubt, these little ones are going to be the most delicate.We usually find an already born chick, but in other circumstances it is possible that what we should take care of is still an egg.For example, if the chicken stops incubating them. We should never be the ones who take the eggs away from a clueca chicken, which is the name of the one that is hatching.
Breeding of chicks in incubator
In the case of seeing us with an egg, the ideal would be to raise these chicks in an incubator, since it guarantees the necessary conditions of temperature and humidity, essential for the chicks to be born.It is important that we contact with an expert to try to date the egg as much as possible , since there are necessary cares that depend on the moment of development.The chicks remain growing in the egg 21 days.For example, until the day 18 eggs should be turned over , but not later.Besides, the humidity and the temperature must be adjusted according to the estimated age of the egg.
If everything goes well, after the incubation time, the chicks will start by breaking the shell a little and, in a matter of 10-20 hours later, they will be able to open the gap enough to hatch.We should not intervene in this delicate process, because we could damage the chicken if we remove the skin early.
What to do when the chicks are born is simpler if we have successfully completed the entire egg development process.Once out of this, we can move them to a drawer to raise chicks which can be a cardboard box or a cage , that is, any enclosure that we clean with ease and to which we can place a lamp to provide the heat that these newborns will need.The initial temperature at which we must have the chicks is about 32 ° C.It is normal that after leaving of the egg do not eat for a few days.We will be water and we will start feeding with a specific product.
Breeding of chickens: the temperature
If we want to explain how to raise chicks, the temperature is a basic factor, so we will talk about it in more detail in this section.The heat must be distributed throughout the enclosure, including soil, by placing a heat or infrared lamp inside. newborn chicks , as we have seen, will need an elevated temperature of 32ºC approximately.Each week that passes this can be go down by about 2-3ºC.Yes, the temperature for 15-day-old chicks will be around 28-26ºC.
How long do chicks have to be with heat?
We will continue to lower the temperature at that rate until approximately 5-8 weeks .At that time they will begin to have their adult feathers, which is an indication of how long they have that the chicks are hot.By that date they can also start leaving the box where we have raised them and start getting used to a chicken coop with access to the outside , which is where they should live.Change must be made in a progressive way.With about 3 weeks they could make some raids outside during the central hours of the day but taking precautions because they are very sensitive to temperature variations.
In any case, it is important that we look at the state of the animals, which is what really tells us when to remove the bulb to the chicks or if the temperature provided is adequate.If the chick approaches the heat source it may be going cold.If we have more than one it's normal to get together This situation occurs.On the contrary, if the child is located in the place furthest from the heat source, we may be providing excessive temperature, which can cause dehydration.A trick is to touch the legs.They should not be cold./p>
Feeding the chicks
Finally, to raise chicks properly we cannot neglect their feeding.They must always have water and food at their disposal.Luckily, this point is simplified with the possibility of finding chick food for sale Specifically formulated for these birds at any time of their growth.
We will give some general guidelines because it will be the veterinarian who adjusts the menu.Yes, it is advisable to start by offering a starter mix or start for baby chicks, which can continue to eat for approximately 8 weeks.From that age you can administer a chicken preparation in growing .About 5-6 months the animal will be already sexually mature and we can establish its final finishing menu , always following the advice of professionals.
Some of these chicken foods are offered also in medicated version.Only use them We will use it if the veterinarian prescribes it to us, who will be in charge of providing us with information about health care, especially as regards deworming and vaccinations , which is another of the pillars of a baby of successful chickens, both to avoid the dreaded red mite in chickens and to prevent any other problems.In this way, we also include periodic visits to the specialist in order to keep track of your health and well-being.As you grow up, the professional will indicate the steps to follow.That is, we do not advise keeping the rooster or the chicken confined in a cage.As a new family member, you must have access to the outside and enjoy facilities appropriate to your needs, with enough space to move freely.All the details about the care of adult hens you will find in this article: "The hen as a pet".
If you want to read more articles similar to How to raise chicks? , we recommend that you enter our Basic Care section.
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