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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4 Ways to Tell Male and Female Chicks Apart
Four traditional methods are used to tell male and female chicks apart. Which method is most appropriate for any specific batch of chicks depends on their breed and variety, their age, and the skill of the observer. Vent Sexing Vent sexing, also called cloacal sexing, is a method of determining a hatchling’s gender by examining […]
Continue ReadingPenning a Hen with Her Chicks
If a hen and her newly hatched chicks are left to wander around the poultry yard, the babies may fall prey to house cats, hawks, and other predators. And baby chicks can slip through most yard fences that are properly built to confine mature poultry. Chicks wandering around a yard can get chilled in damp […]
Continue ReadingHow to Care for Bantam Chicks Shipped by Mail
Bantam chicks shipped by mail arrive tired, hungry, thirsty, and sometimes chilled. A little extra TLC in the form of the three Ws of bantam chick care — Warmth, Water, Watch — will help ensure that your new arrivals settle safely and comfortably. Chicks hatch with yolk reserves that continue to provide nutrients for […]
Continue ReadingWhen Ordering Chicks, How Many Are Enough?
Deciding how many chicks to order can be challenging. Often the determining factor comes down to how many you want, versus how many you need, versus how many your local regulations allow you to have. When starting a laying flock, decide how many eggs you want and size your flock accordingly. As a rough […]
Continue ReadingGot Chicks®! Now What? 8 Chicken Facts That Surprise First Time Owners
So, you finally did it. You went out and got chicks®. Now what? Here are eight facts about baby chicks that commonly surprise first time owners. Brooding baby poultry of any type generates a lot of fine dust, so locate your brooder where dust won’t be a problem. Your living room or guest room, for […]
Continue ReadingThe Best Time to Order Chicks
As spring weather begins to warm in March and April, a lot of people start thinking about ordering chicks. Unfortunately, everyone else has the same idea, and hatcheries rapidly sell out of many breeds during those months. If you place your order in March or April, you may end up waiting a month or more […]
Continue ReadingHow to Care for Baby Chickens Delivered by Mail
Chicks shipped by mail require a little extra TLC compared to chicks you might hatch at home. Think about how you feel after a long journey — dehydrated, exhausted, probably a bit cranky. What you look forward to most is a long drink and a warm bed. Baby chicks are no different. They suffer the […]
Continue ReadingWhy Baby Chickens Get Pasty Butt and What to Do About It
Pasty Butt — also known as pasting, paste up, or sticky bottom — is a common condition in newly hatched chicks. It occurs when soft droppings stick to a chick’s vent, then harden and seal the vent shut. If the condition is not corrected, the affected chick may die. Although pasting may be caused by […]
Continue ReadingHow Can Baby Chickens Survive in the Mail?
The hatching of a chick out of an egg — whether laid by a chicken, duck, goose, or other bird — is a remarkable process. Each chick enters the world with a built-in food supply that can sustain it for up to three days after the bird hatches. How does this happen? Starting on the […]
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