My little brother Matie has always wanted bantam chicks. Now that we have a farm we have gotten him five bantam chicks. We purchased assorted bantams from a local feed store. so we have not sure what we have. It has been really fun trying to figure out what type of chicks we have. We have found out we have a Polish and a Frizzle. We have raised Orpington and Wyandotte chicks in the past and have had lots of success and really enjoyed it. So we already had our “chick set-up”. If you want to raise chicks, here are the supplies you need.
• Heat Lamp: You need a heat lamp and a red colored bulb. We prefer the clamping heat lamp because you can take it on and off the tub.
• Thermometer: You must have a thermometer to make sure the chicks are the right temperature. Chicks start out at 95 to 100 degrees F. Then, lower their temp 5 degrees every week
• Wood Shavings: Chicks need some type of bedding. We use a bag of wood shavings, just a small layer at the bottom, for our chicks. Then, when they need to be cleaned, the wood shavings are easy to clean. Wood shavings are also easily compostable and good for the garden.
• Food and Water Dispenser: One of the most important things is their food and water. Make sure they have lots of it, and that it’s clean. Chicks will scratch wood chips into their food and water dispensers, so check them often and empty and refill their food and water when necessary.
• Chick Food: You need a special chick food for the chicks. We prefer organic feed.
• Chick Grit: Chicks also need special chick grit. Normal chicken grit is too big for chicks.
And that is what you will need to raise chicks. We hope you have fun starting your flock.
