Raising Baby Chicks at Home

So, we bought four baby Red Star, also known as Red Sex-linked, chickens about two weeks ago during Spring Break. We chose Red Stars because they are supposed to be very cold-hardy and are prolific layers. Also, since residents of Chicago are not allowed to have roosters, we wanted to make sure we were getting only females, which are red.

Aidan and Maddie came with us to the Belmont Feed and Seed store to pick them out. They were both so excited, and a little nervous, about picking them up and holding them. The store owner gave us a cardboard carrier filled with pine shavings to put them in. After watching the chicks for a while, we selected the ones that seemed to have the most energy and brought them home that day. (The kids loved hearing their little peeps on the car ride home.)

We put them in the plastic bin we had set up for them and the kids watched them explore the area. We had the bin lined with paper towels because we were told that the chicks might have trouble distinguishing between their feed and the pine shavings. They found their food and water right away.

                                               

 Maddie holding one of the chicks.

We had to teach Aidan and Maddie how to hold the chicks properly. For some reason, they thought it would be okay to grab them by their heads. Ouch!

At first, I was worried about the temperature being just right, so I kept adjusting the heat lamp to make it 95 degrees. After a while, though, it became clear that the chicks didn't seem too sensitive to the differences in temperature. They seemed to sleep around the edges of the light and moved in and out with ease.

Over the past two weeks, I have really enjoyed having the chicks in our home. They are super easy to take care of. I just change their water once a day, fill up the feeder as needed and change the bedding of pine shavings every few days. Sorry if this grosses you out, but I do let them run around in our back room and wipe up after them with antibacterial wipes and a mop. I feel bad that they would otherwise be stuck inside the brooder bin without being able to stretch their legs much. Besides, it's fun to watch them run around and look for places to roost.

Our chicks roosting underneath a chair

Taking a nap during the day.

Alan had to install a screen in the top of the bin to keep the chicks from flying out. Now that they're feathers are coming in, they have been able to fly. I really cannot believe how fast they grow and am afraid that they will outgrow their brooder bin before they are able to go outside and live in the coop Alan's been working on. Here is a picture of the work in progress:

So, in a few more weeks, the chicks will be ready to go outside. I think I'll miss hearing the little pitter-patter of their feet as they run around under my chair while I study or write.