Of course before bringing them home I had already gathered everything they would need during their first month with us. Chickies are very sensitive and fragile during the first few weeks after hatching. You can see in the pic that it's really RED. That is because chicks need their body temp to stay at 95 degrees ALL the time. I hung a 230 watt red heating lamp and angled it above their crate. I used a small dog crate as their beginning home. It's important to angle the heat lamp so it doesn't get too hot. on a able allow parts of the crate to stay cool. So if the chicks feel over heated they have the freedom to find a space to cool off. Why did I choose a red bulb? Because the red color allows them to fall asleep better and is less harsh on their tiny eyes. Just like us, the chickies need a ton of food. The chickies grow fast and need plenty of food and clean water available to them at ALL times.You might be wondering what they eat, well chicks eat ground up corn, usually a medicated brand. This helps them fight off any germs they come in contact with while they are young. The corn is ground up because their little bellies aren't ready for anything bigger. I lined the bottom of their home with hay. You can use hay or shredded wood chips, just no cedar chips. Cedar wood is poisonous to chickens and can make them really sick. I check their food and water level several times a day to make sure it's clean and full. The water has to be really warm, this helps with digestions. Warm/Hot water also helps humans with stomach aches and to flush out toxins from certain foods and liquids we might drink. The chickies love their new home and enjoy scratching the hay and pecking around.
