Last week we shared the Fall Fun Adventures With Chickens at Enchanted Acres. This week we share the progress and WOW- these birds are growing fast!
In last week’s blog, I wrote about our family’s experience getting baby chicks from Hoover’s Hatchery in Rudd. It has been so interesting to watch change literally before our eyes. These babies grow fast!
Baby chicks require constant care, and as they grow, they require frequent monitoring. One thing that’s critical to chick care is fresh, clean water. In fact, fresh water is more important than food for the first day. It’s important that the chicks do not run out of water.
Food intake must be monitored, as well, to ensure the birds don’t overeat. Broilers innately eat to produce meat. Their growth must be regulated, so their heart and lung size matches their muscle (meat) development. After 10 hours each day, we remove the feeders to ensure the chickens stop eating and rest through the night.
Another requirement for chick care is clean bedding. It’s recommended that the area where the chicks are housed gets cleaned weekly. Ours has been cleaned three times since we took delivery of the chicks on Sept. 4. This Thursday, I’ll clean out their bedding for the fourth time in four week. I’ll scoop up the wood chips and put down fresh bedding to provide the cleanest, safest environment possible for our growing chicks.
Continue here.…………
Enchanted Acres is a super fun place to take your family in the Fall. Connect with them on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter to keep up to date with the latest happenings.