A chick’s baby feathers are delicate and vulnerable while the bird grows a complete set of adult plumage. Until then, unsightly feather loss in baby chicks may be caused by rubbing or picking. Sequential Molting When a chick reaches the age of three and four weeks, its body feathers grow and fill out. By the […]
Continue ReadingDownload or Print Cackle Hatchery’s Guide to the Care of Baby Chicks (Pamphlet) Download of Print “The Care of Baby Chicks” eBook Cackle’s Safe Handling of Poultry Poster (Salmonella Safety) Table of Contents Arrival First Day Instructions Heating Feed Water Special Situations After the Chicks Arrive Litter Picking After 4 Weeks Baby Turkeys & Peafowl […]
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Getting ready to receive your first order of chicks from Cackle Hatchery? Congratulations! Keeping a flock of chickens offers a great way to provide food for you and your family, control pests on your property and more. But before your chicks arrive, you’ll need to set up a brooder so they can have a place […]
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When those fuzzy little chicks, ducklings, or goslings arrive in the mail, the first thing you want to do is pick them up and cuddle them. Young children, especially, can’t resist snuggling those cute little fluff balls. The more time you spend with your baby poultry, the friendlier they will become. However, among the important […]
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Newly hatched poultry come equipped with yolk reserves that provide baby birds with nutrients for many hours after they hatch. It’s nature’s way of allowing the early hatchers to remain in the nest until the whole brood has hatched. Hatchery chicks shipped by mail take advantage of these yolk reserves during the day or two […]
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Baby chicks must have access to clean, fresh water at all times. During the first few days after they hatch, a one-quart waterer will furnish enough water for up to 25 chicks raised in a brooder. An inexpensive watering option is a screw-on plastic base that fits a one-quart narrow mouth jar. Another option is […]
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When you are ready to raise a batch of baby chicks, should you buy chicks or hatching eggs? Each option has advantages and disadvantages. So how different is it when you start with eggs versus chicks? Starting with Eggs When you start with eggs that you plan to hatch, the first thing you need is […]
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Coccidiosis is the most common disease of brooded poultry. It affects primarily chicks and poults (baby turkeys). But it may also (though rarely) affect keets (baby guinea fowl), ducklings, and goslings. It is the most common cause of death in young poultry. What Is Coccidiosis? Coccidiosis is an intestinal disease caused by protozoa. It most […]
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Chicks, ducklings, and babies of other barnyard birds are precocial, meaning they are able to feed themselves almost from the moment of hatch. Precociality is the reason why chicks peep before hatching. The word precocial comes from the Latin word praecox, meaning early to mature. A fancier word for precocial is nidifugous — from the […]
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