Why are the 1st 14-21 Days of a Baby Chick's Life So Important?

Posted on December 27th, 2023.

Raising healthy chickens starts from day one. The initial weeks of a baby chick's life lay the foundation for their future health, growth, and productivity. Understanding the significance of this critical period is essential for anyone involved in poultry care.

The Basics of Brooding Chicken

Brooding, the process of nurturing young chicks, demands careful attention. It's not just about keeping them warm; it involves creating an environment that mimics the care they would receive from a mother hen. This section will explore the essentials of effective brooding and how it impacts chick development.

Temperature for Chicks: A Critical Factor

One of the most crucial aspects of brooding is maintaining the right temperature. Newly hatched chicks cannot regulate their body temperature, making them vulnerable to the cold. This section will delve into the ideal temperature ranges and how they change as chicks grow. Place the heating device your using to one side of the Brooder. It should be on for 24 hours before you receive your chicks so you can get the temperture set right. The Temperture should be at 95 to 100 degrees where the heat source is. Make sure all the chicks can get to that location. Now some chicks will think that might be to warm so make sure they have an escape away from the heat . By the 2nd week the temperature should be lowered to 90 degrees and then 5 degrees lower the next week and so on till they are at 70 degrees, have all their feathers and then depending on the weather they can go outside .

Nutrition and Hydration in Early Life

Nutrition and hydration play a pivotal role in the early days of a chick's life. The right balance of nutrients ensures that chicks develop strong bones and healthy feathers. We use Fertrell products to ensure that the chicks are getting everything they need to develope a good immune system. This part will discuss the dietary needs of young chicks and the importance of clean, accessible water. You may need to clean out their water numerous times during the day to keep it clean. This is so important for the 1st 21 days of your chicks life.  

Immune System Development

The first few weeks are also critical for the development of a chick's immune system. Exposure to a clean, yet varied environment helps build natural resistance to diseases. Here, we'll explore how early life conditions influence long-term health and immunity. The brooder pen needs to be clean especially the 1st 21 days. If you can smell the ammonium in the brooder you are 2 days behind from when it should have been cleaned. This is very important in helping the chicks to have a great respiratory system which in turn helps with immune system development.

The Role of Socialization and Activity

Chicks are social creatures, and their early interactions can affect their behavior as adults. Adequate space for movement and interaction with other chicks is essential. This section covers the importance of socialization and physical activity in early chick development. The 1st 4 to 7 days we would advise not alot of handling but talking and seeing your face is important. After the 1st 14 days it is very important to spend lots of time with your chicks if you are wanting your chickens to be very friendly and to like humans. Infact Turkeys need human interaction alot the 1st 4 days through 14 days. Some Turkeys will actually die if they do not feel the love so to speak. If you talk to people that have raised a few turkeys or even alot of turkeys you will hear stories of turkeys going from active to dead the next day or two. Biggest help you can do to prevent this is to spend a minimum of 20 minutes a day with them.  

Potential Challenges and Solutions

Raising chicks isn't without its challenges. From temperature fluctuations to dietary missteps, this part will outline common issues that can arise in the first 21 days and offer practical solutions to ensure healthy growth.

One of the diseases alot of chicks get is Coccidiosis. We here at Bresse Star Chick Hatchery have found that our chicks do far better by not trying to treat the disease but by doing our best not to ever get the disease. Clean pen is a must. Replace the water from the magic water on the 3rd day of age or being in their new home with Whole milk for just one day. Then do it again 4 days later for just the one day. Then again on the 14th and 21st day of age. You could give them water and give them plain Greek yogurt. Just a Tablespoon for 3 to 4 chicks on each of the days mentioned above. This tip will help your birds more able to fight off Coccidiosis. It is said that if you follow this tip it will build their Respiratory system so they should not have to worry about catching this disease the rest of their lives as long as their environment is clean and not having a New Bird come in with the disease . You can give your chicks this once a week or twice a month the rest of their lives and they will be stronger at fighting respiratory disease. 

Conclusion

The journey of raising robust and healthy chickens begins in the critical first weeks. At Bresse Star Chick Hatchery in Perry, we understand this importance and strive to provide the best start for every chick.

For personalized advice, help with deciding to go with American Bresse Chicks or our line of Rhode Island Reds, and further inquiries, don't hesitate to reach out to us at 3852881160 or [email protected]. Explore our range of products and start your successful poultry journey today!