Chickens - Layers

Chicken breed characteristics vary as well as their preference when it comes to being raised in different environments. One thing that doesn’t change however, is the chick care needed when taking birds home from the post office or from your local farm store.

Chicken Layer Care

  1. When taking your chicks home give them access to warm drinking water (98 degrees) as soon as possible. Gently dip their beaks in the water so they know what it is and where it is.
  2. Chicks should have a brooding area at least 105 degrees for the first hour and then lower the temperature to 95-96 degrees over the next few hours. You can lower the temperature by lifting the heat lamp. Chicks should be in a brooding area that has a surface temperature of 95-98 degrees for the first week. Lower the temperature by 5 degrees per week until you reach 70 degrees. Temperatures may need to be slightly higher for bantam chicks. Watch the chicks behavior to see if the temperature is:
    • Too cold- Lots of crowding under the heat lamp
    • Too warm- Lots of chicks spread out away from the heat lamp
    • Just right- Some chicks are under the lamp, others are near, and a few are spread out in other areas.
  3. Chicks should have at least a ½ sq. foot of space per chick to move away from the heating lamps if necessary.
  4. Block corners of the pen with carboard to make wider angles that are harder for chicks to fill up in.
  5. If chicks have had a hard trip and appear weak or lethargic, mix about 2 tablespoons sugar into 1 quart warm water and give to the chicks. After 16 hours, switch the water to regular.
  6. To help chicks start eating, spread layers of newspaper around brooding area and sprinkle feed on top. Switch to a regular chick feeder after one day.
  7. Use larger wood shavings as bedding on the floor of the brooding area. Do not use sawdust, sand, or cedar chips/shavings.

Food & Water

1. Give chicks a starter/grower feed until they lay their first egg, then switch to an egg layer feed.
2. Use an easily accessible, 1 ft. trough feeder or round feeder and 1 gallon waterer for every 25 chicks.
3. Chicks need continuous access to water and feed, unless they are 14 day old Cornish Cross Broilers, you will need to restrict the feed at night or 12 hours at a time.

Health Tips

1. Chicks will use their beaks to groom or pick themselves. However, occasionally pecking amongst chicks will become a problem if the brooding area is too hot or too crowded. We suggest using a red heat lamp to reduce brightness and tendencies to peck at each other.
2. Occasionally, the rear end of a chick will get manure stuck to it “pasting up”. If you see this happen, wash the “paste” off with a cloth and warm water. This should last no more than a few days and is caused by stress from shipping.