Supplies for Chicks

So, you ordered chicks, YAY! Welcome to the crazy chicken lady club. You may not know it yet, but the obsession is just beginning. Now what? What do you do while you wait impatiently for your chicks to arrive? Well first thing is first, you will want to gather all the proper supplies.

1.Brooder box – this can be a crate wrapped in welded wire, so their heads don’t stick out, a wooden box you have thrown together, a brooder box you have ordered offline. I used a zip up puppy pen off amazon and it was amazing. When you are done with it, hose it out and let it air dry.

2.Heat source – you will want to make sure that your chicks stay nice and toast for the first 6 weeks or until fully feathers. I recommend a heat plate over a heat lamp as heat lamps can cause fires if not properly secured. (feel free to google the results of what happens if you do not install them properly)

3.Chick feed – you have the option of medicated feed or unmedicated feed. You just want to make sure you are purchasing CHICK feed not a layer feed. Their little bodies aren’t ready for layer feed till about 18 weeks of age.

4.Bedding – the recommended shavings are medium/large pine shavings. You can also just lay out puppy pads and change them often. Shavings help hold in some heat, so if you are having chicks in the winter, I would go with shavings.

5.Feeders/Waterers – you will want to find some decent sized feeders; they go through a TON of food. So having something that holds a decent amount is key, or you will be filling it up twice a day. I get mine from tractor supply or our local feed store usually has some that are a little bigger and don’t tip over as easily as the ones from tractor supply.

6.Chicken coop – they won’t need this right away, but it will quickly approach the time when they are ready for it. So, make sure you have their coop and run.