Raising baby chicks from start to end

You can order day old chicks from several companies online. Most people are very surprised and shocked when they hear that the chicks travel through the mail without any food or water for 1-3 days. The reason this is safely and humanely possible is that the chicks absorb the embryo that keeps them sustained for 3-4 days. Nature's reason would be that hens have to sit on the remaining eggs even after 90% have hatched, the chicks have to be nourished for the next few days just by existing. Once your chicks come to your local post office for pick up, you should already have wherever they are staying set up. This means there should be food and water out along with an already warmed brooder's lamp. When you first bring the chicks home you need to dip each of their beaks in some water and make sure they drink some. Then, place the chicks one by one into their enclosure and make sure they are all eating and moving around like normal. This will be here life for the next 6 weeks. Every week raise the brooders lamp up higher, to the point where it drops 5-15 degrees a week until it reaches room temperature. As they grow the space they take up will need to be bigger. Most chicks first stay in a large storage container when first hatched, but as the get older they can still stay there but they will also need time to stretch their legs outside. Around 6-8 weeks the chicks can be moved outside. If they are hens it is recommended that the nesting boxes are blocked off until they reach their breeds egg laying age. This will prevent them from soiling the bedding therefore saving you money. Once they reach egg laying age, open the nesting boxes up. Many will be surprised to find that it doesn't matter if you have 10 nesting boxes if they only like 1, they will wait and only use that one. Yet, some flocks use all 10! It all depends but the option should be available. The rule of thumb is 2-5 chickens per nesting box. Though it is above average, I have 6 nesting boxes instead of 4 for my 20 chickens. Once they have made it to the maturity age you are set! Have fun with your chickens!