When the pandemic started two years ago, I sat down with my family to discuss what homestead projects we wanted to focus on during the extra time at home.
I didn’t guess how long we’d have to tackle these projects, or that I would find so much joy in staying home and focusing on my immediate surroundings, and that (at least to date) I’d have very little motivation to leave my hollow.
During that family meeting two years ago, my mother said she would like to expand our chicken flock. Over the years it had dwindled, and we were not getting enough eggs to fulfill our family’s needs. Also, we love chickens.
I decided to raise chicks — something I had not done before. So I did my research, and talked to experienced friends.
One friend offered to combine his chick order with mine, to more easily meet the hatchery mail ordering minimum. This was important because many hatcheries either won’t ship fewer than 15 chicks, or charge a handsome fee to do so.
I added 10 chicks to my friend’s order of mixed fancy breed chickens (Polish, minorca, Sicilian buttercup, sliver laced cochin, etc), and picked up four more from Southern States of specific breeds (buff brahma, blue laced wyandotte, and buff orpington) I was interested in.
The first thing I needed to raise these chicks was a place to keep them — I opted for an extra large cardboard box in my living room. Then I needed a heat source.
Baby chicks need to be kept warm. They can’t regulate their body temperature very well, and would naturally snuggle under their mother hen for warmth. For their first week they need access to temperatures of 90-95, then decreasing by five degrees each week. At eight weeks they can handle outdoor life, of temperatures 60 degrees or above.
In place of a hen, many people use either a heat lamp or a brooder to keep chicks warm. I read about both options.
Heat lamps have the benefit of never blocking view of the chicks, so it is easy to keep an eye on them and spot problems should they arise. Heat lamps also pose a risk of fire, and of unhealthy effects if the chicks overheat and are unable to get away from the heat source.
A brooder is a rectangular warming plate on legs, which the chicks can huddle under. As they grow, the brooder can be raised to a higher level. This more closely resembles a mother hen, and is the option I went for.
I kept them inside for their first few weeks, then on warm days I took them out into the sun for fresh air, until they were big enough to stay outside all day and night. After a few months keeping them right outside my house, I moved them into their permanent residence.
I absolutely fell in love with raising chicks and this year decided to again increase my flock. Sweet peeping is the soundtrack to my life right now.
While I love the sweet balls of fluff chicks are for their first weeks, I also love watching them grow and develop personalities. I picked breeds based on their looks and egg colors, and watching them mature is just as much fun as snuggling them when they fit in the palm of one hand.
Although COVID cases seem to be decreasing, you still won’t find me out socializing very much — if you need me, I’ll be chilling with my chickens.
ALDONA BIRD is a journalist, exploring possibilities of local productivity and sustainable living in Preston County.
