Today’s backyard chicken has very little in common with their original parent, the Red Jungle Fowl. Careful and selective breeding has produced an incredible range of traits for this domesticated bird. But with this plethora of physical traits comes significant dietary demands. It is my opinion that baby chicks should have access to food all of the time as their bodies will go from the size of an egg to roughly that of a volleyball in just eight weeks. Obviously, that is an incredible amount of growth! Should they be lacking in the protein and the nutrients that this rapid growth demands, then their health will be directly impacted by it. Can Baby Chicks Overeat? While overeating can be a real issue for some animals, it

Very few things will illicit a scream (from even the bravest of us) like seeing a rat. There is just something about those vermin that really smacks our internal ‘icky’ button. With this fact so well established, one can understand the very real concern as to whether or not chickens attract rats. Fortunately, they do not. Chickens do NOT attract rats, but some of the things found in a chickens’ environment do. And if not properly addressed, these unwanted rodents will visit… set up a nest … and multiply! That is something that must absolutely be avoided! Not only is a multitude of rats horrifying to think about, but they can be a very real health risk to you and your flock. Rats And Chicken Feed It

The thing to remember about baby chicks is that while they are uber adorable, they are also uber vulnerable. Baby chicks should never be left in the sun without a shady place to escape to. This is because, as chicks, they have not developed the means of regulating body temperature. And while it is possible to snuggle up to mother hen or another chick in order to get warm, there is very little they can do to cool off once they have gotten too hot. Combs And Wattles As a member of the fowl community, chickens do not sweat like mammals. They regulate body temperature by means of their combs and wattles. For those who might be new to chickens, combs are the fleshy

Pine shavings make the best bedding for baby chicks — keeping your new birds warm and dry as they run around the brooder.

There’s nothing like coming home from an appointment, walking by the brooder to check up on things and realizing that you’re one chick short. Worst backyard farmer EVER! I have only experienced this a few times, but each time it’s a real scare. Where did my missing chick go and how long has it been out? Fortunately for me, this has never been a situation involving a predator, largely because I keep my brooder in the garage, but it can be stressful for both me and the baby chick. So for those of you who are new to raising chickens, baby chicks can and will jump out of the brooder – easily clearing obstacles higher than two feet. And they will do it sooner