What to Give to Hatched Chicks

All experienced poultry farmers know that success in raising newly hatched chicks depends not only on a comfortable brooder, but also on the waterer. It should be airtight and sized according to the size and age of the chickens - they should not quickly use up the available water, and the drinker should not tip over. The water container should be high enough so that the water level is between the chicken's eyes and the height of its back. This way, the chicken drinks more and spills less. Chicks should not be able to go into the water, so saucers are not suitable. Wet chicks will become hypothermic and get sick. 

Avoid dampness in the brooder, whether from spilled water or a leaky waterer. Initially place drinkers at a distance of no more than 60 cm from the heat source, and during the transition. When upgrading to a larger waterer, be sure to leave the old waterers in place for a few days until the chicks get used to drinking from the new source.

You've probably heard advice to give newly hatched chicks sugar water. In fact, it is better to offer honey water within 1-2 days after leaving the incubator, since honey is healthier than sugar. In addition to providing the quick-burning calories that newly hatched chicks need to settle into the brooder and start eating, honey has antibacterial properties. To prepare honey water for newly hatched chicks, dilute one tablespoon of natural honey in 500 ml of water; a couple of sips will be enough for the chicks to feel better within one to two days after hatching. 

In general, chicks should drink a good dose of water before they begin to consume feed - in the first days of life, cooked chicken eggs and so-called "zero". 

Chicken eggs are one of the best nutritional supplements you can offer in the first days of a chicken's life. Eggs contain all the necessary nutrients and vitamins, as well as the protein needed by the chicks. They are an easy additive for the chicken's digestive system to digest. Serve scrambled eggs or finely chopped boiled eggs at room temperature - neither hot nor cold. 

You can add finely chopped parsley, rich in B vitamins, to the eggs, and if you already have dandelions, then washed and very finely chopped leaves. When the chickens grow up, you can no longer cut the parsley and dandelion, but put them whole in the brooder. The main thing is to rinse thoroughly and dry with a paper towel, and in the case of dandelion, be sure that the plant was collected where no pesticides were used and the plant was not exposed to pollutants, that is, it was collected in places with good ecology. 

Remember not to feed newly hatched chicks a laying hen diet, even as an emergency measure if you are out of feed. High levels of calcium in the diet of laying hens can seriously damage the kidneys of chicks. If force majeure occurs, prepare a starter ration by grinding oat grains or oat flakes in a blender, and then mix with corn flour 50/50. However, don't use this mixture for longer than necessary—it's high in calories and low in the protein, vitamins and minerals your chicken needs to grow well and stay healthy.

To get newly hatched chicks to eat, sprinkle some starter feed on a paper towel or paper plate to help them find food. Once most chicks are pecking freely, remove the paper covered in feed before it begins to hold moisture, which attracts mold. For the remainder of the first week, place the feed in a shallow lid before switching to a regular chick feeder.