Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Other animals

You caved and bought baby chicks. Now what?

Rebekkah Adams
By

Spring brings out the pet parent instinct in all of us — we see so many baby bunnies and chicks that it’s natural to want to add one to the family. However, we recommend that potential pet parents think carefully before bringing home any new animal. Everyone in the household needs to be sure it’s a good fit, including other creatures already living there. But if you truly couldn’t help yourself and impulsively adopted a baby chicken or two, we’re here to help you figure out how to care for them successfully.

Two chicks sit in the grass

How do I take care of chicks?

First, you need a pen and then a coop to keep the chicks in. You can buy a coop, or you can build one if you’re handy. Make sure it’s sturdy, warm (more on that in a minute), and protected from predators. We all know what happens when a fox gets into the chicken coop, and just the stress of dogs or cats could harm little chicks. Flooding when it rains can also cause problems, so you’ll notice that most coops are elevated off the ground to keep out excess water as well as local predators.

Related Videos

You’ll likely keep very young animals in a heated pen. You can start small and upgrade as they get bigger, eventually graduating the flock into their coop. Many first-time owners successfully create their own brooder pen with a small plastic box, substrate, and heat source. The little chickies will stay in there until they’re ready to move outside.

What do my chicks need to stay warm?

At first, your chicks need constant heat since they struggle to make their own. Red light is also essential to prevent your chickies from pecking one another, which can lead to injury or death. You can take care of both these needs with a heating lamp. Chicks who are only a day old need a heating source set constantly to 92 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to monitor the temperature closely and adjust as needed, though some lights have built-in controls. Keep the heating lamp about two inches above the substrate of the pen. You want it to heat the area thoroughly but not be placed so close that the heat burns your chicks’ delicate skin. As the chicks grow, you’ll turn the temperature down by 5 degrees per week. At six weeks old, the chicks will move from the brooder pen to the coop and you can remove the constant heat source.

Mother hen helps feed her chicks in the grass

What should my chicks eat?

All babies, whether human or avian, need protein. While mammals provide protein to their young through milk, baby chickens aren’t able to digest the product of mammary glands. They need a different source of nutrients.

Choose a starter feed with plenty of proteins and vitamins. It might take a while for your chicks to figure out how to eat and drink, as strange as that sounds. Set their food right in front of them, and encourage them to drink by tapping the bottom of the inside of the water bowl to imitate drinking with a beak. After a day or so you can introduce a feeder, leading the chicks to it if necessary. As they grow, you’ll adjust the contents of their food, reducing the amount of protein a little at a time. Eventually they’ll eat chicken pellets and other adult bird food including bugs.

On a final note, you want to be careful about where you get your chicks — as with any pet. Make sure you bring home chicks who were well cared for as eggs and check that their mother was well fed and free-range. If at all possible, look locally rather than buy chicks online, so you aren’t shipping the animals, which can lead to problems. Many farmers or hatcheries will sell baby chickens for a small fee, or if you’re feeling adventurous, consider getting a hen who will lay eggs and helping her out with the process from start to finish.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Disgusted by the idea of adopting a pet rat? 8 facts that could change your mind
Pet rat sits on little girl's shoulder

Not into the idea of a pet rat? Hear us out. While they might not be at the very top of your must-own list, rats can make fantastic pets for the right person. They have great personalities, learn quickly, and bond to humans. One day you think you would never let vermin in your house, and the next you find your place overflowing with rodent treats. If you're willing to put aside your preconceived notions for a minute, take a look through these eight reasons to adopt a cute rat into your home.

Are pet rats just like hamsters?
Well, not exactly, but they do have a lot in common. For starters, they both belong to the rodent family and share many traits, especially those big chompers. However, you will discover a few key differences. One thing that might surprise you is that rats are easier to train and can learn some pretty extensive tricks that might elude your hammie. 
How long will a rat live?
Like a hamster, a rat will live for about two to three years, but it really depends on how well you take care of the little critter. Of course, that's assuming you get a Norway rat, since there are lots of other kinds that are sometimes kept as pets.

Read more
Is my rabbit pregnant? 5 telltale signs you should know
Look for these signs to confirm your rabbit will soon have babies
Baby rabbit being held by owner

What's better than one pet rabbit? An entire litter of bunnies (as long as you're prepared for them, of course). If you've been wondering, "Is my rabbit pregnant?" now is the time to find out for sure. After all, you don't want to be caught unaware and suddenly have a whole new colony of animals in your hutch.

Sometimes, lady bunnies can take on the behaviors of expectant mamas, but it's actually a false pregnancy. The best way to find out if your rabbit is pregnant is to take her to the vet and have them confirm it. However, when you're figuring it out herself, these are the signs that a rabbit is pregnant. If you see these behaviors, be sure to call your animal doctor.

Read more
Are turtles reptiles or amphibians? Here’s what you need to know
Learn the truth about turtles
Sea turtle swims gently in the sea

You probably learned in 3rd grade what an amphibian is: an animal that lives both in the water and on land; the name even has the Greek word for "both," "amphi," in it. But as with all things, it's actually a little more complicated than the explanation we got in elementary school. Of course, lots of animals would fit this description that definitely are not amphibians. After all, otters and penguins live on water and land, but they certainly don't qualify. It's especially tricky to distinguish between reptiles and amphibians since they share so many characteristics in common. So how do we tell them apart? Are turtles really reptiles or amphibians? This is how it all works. 

What makes reptiles and amphibians special?
Like humans, fish, and birds, reptiles and amphibians are both vertebrates. This means we all have backbones, unlike bugs or jellyfish. Most birds and mammals live on land; fish spend the majority of their lives in water. But the other groups are special because they get a little of each (we'll break that down in a minute). Additionally, these guys are cold-blooded while humans are warm-blooded. That means we make our own heat and need sweaters and blankets to trap it on or sweat to cool it off. Reptiles absorb heat from their environments, so you typically see them choosing to live in warmer climates and hibernating in winter. However, there are a few key differences between reptiles and amphibians. 

Read more