New Chick Checklist: Things To Think About
New Chick Checklist: Planning For Your New Chicks
Getting chicks is an exciting venture, but it requires planning and preparation. Here’s a detailed list of questions and considerations to help you start on the right foot:
1. Why Do You Want Chickens?
Are you keeping them for eggs, meat, pest control, or companionship?
Do you want specific traits, like cold hardiness, docility, or egg color variety?
2. Choosing the Right Breed
Which breeds fit your goals? (Egg layers, dual-purpose, ornamental, or meat breeds?)
Are you looking for specific egg colors, like blue, green, or chocolate brown?
Do you need breeds that are cold- or heat-tolerant based on your climate?
Will you choose standard-sized breeds, bantams, or a mix?
3. How Many Chicks Should You Get?
How much space do you have for adult birds in the coop and run? (Minimum: 4 sq. ft. per chicken inside the coop and 10 sq. ft. in the run.)
Consider how many eggs you want weekly. A good layer produces 4-5 eggs/week.
Do you want extra chicks in case of losses or to account for unsexed birds?
4. Housing and Space Requirements
Do you already have a coop, or will you build/buy one before your chicks arrive?
Does your coop have adequate ventilation, predator-proofing, and nesting boxes?
Is your run predator-proof and spacious enough for the flock to forage?
5. Planning for Brooding Chicks
Do you have a brooder ready? This can be a plastic tote, cardboard box, or custom brooder.
What type of heat source will you use? (Heat lamp, heat plate, or heating pad?)
Do you have chick-safe bedding, like pine shavings or paper towels?
Have you purchased chick feeders, waterers, and starter feed?
6. Sourcing Your Chicks
Are you ordering from a hatchery, farm store, or local breeder?
Is the source reputable and NPIP-certified to ensure healthy chicks?
Have you checked availability for your desired breeds and placed your order early?
Are you prepared for the minimum order requirements, especially in colder months?
7. Handling and Transport
If shipping chicks, are you prepared to pick them up promptly from the post office?
Do you have a way to keep them warm during transport from the store or post office?
8. Feeding and Nutrition
Do you have high-quality chick starter feed (medicated or non-medicated)?
Will you supplement their diet with probiotics, vitamins, or electrolytes during stressful times?
Do you know when to transition them from starter to grower feed?
9. Flock Management Considerations
Do you want to integrate these chicks with an existing flock eventually?
If so, do you have a plan for quarantine and gradual introduction?
Are you prepared to raise a mixed flock of breeds or sexes?
10. Legal and Zoning Requirements
Have you checked local ordinances for chicken keeping?
Are there limits on flock size or restrictions on keeping roosters?
11. Preparing for Health and Safety
Have you identified a local veterinarian or resource for poultry health issues?
Do you have a basic poultry first-aid kit? (Items like electrolytes, probiotics, and wound spray.)
Are you familiar with common chick issues like pasty butt or splayed legs?
12. Long-Term Plans
What will you do with hens once they slow down on egg production?
If raising meat birds, do you have a plan for processing?
Do you have a predator management strategy in place?
13. Budget and Costs
Have you calculated the cost of chicks, housing, feed, and other supplies?
Are you prepared for ongoing expenses like bedding, feed, and health care?
14. Timeline and Scheduling
Do you know the ideal time to order chicks to ensure spring availability?
Are you ready to brood chicks indoors for 4-8 weeks until they are fully feathered?
15. Enrichment and Care
Will you provide toys, roosting bars, or mirrors for chick enrichment?
Do you plan to spend time handling chicks to socialize them?
Will you train them for safe free-ranging or supervised outdoor time?
Addressing these questions and preparations will prepare you for a successful and rewarding spring chick-keeping adventure! 🐣🐔
