Welcome to our chick section! Here you will find Interesting information and facts about raising baby chicks, how to construct an egg candler and much more...

It is almost baby chick season!!

 Here at Country Farm Supply we are now getting ready for the  chick season.

  We are proud to say that we have over 33 years experience selling, raising and helping you have a great baby chick experience. Stop by or send us an e-mail with any of your questions. 

Proper Management is essential to raising Healthy Chicks.

Here are a few guideliness to Help you Raise chicks healthy and strong.

• Environment - Keep it Clean, Kepp it Dry.
• Space Requirements - No Crowding Allowed.
• Temperature - Avoid the Big Chill.
• Water - Whet Their Whistles.
• Turkey Poults -
• Duckling / Goslings -
• Feeder(s) -

Environment

Provide warm, dry housing without drafts. Make enclosures predator proof. Clean and disinfect housing, feeders and waterers before chicks arrive. Disinfect regularly. Litter (bedding) should be 2" - 5" deep; use wood shaving, straw, etc.

 

Space Requirements

Hatch until 6 weeks: 0.8 - 1.0 square feet per chick
6 weeks and older: 1.0 - 2.0 square feet per chick

 

Temperature - Avoid the Big Chill

Day old, 90*-95*F. Heat lamp or light bulb, approximately 20" above chicks. Heat in advance, raise light to adjust temperature. Place thermometer at chick level. Comfort can be observed. If chicks huddle under light, it's too cold. If chicks huddle in corners, it's too hot. Reduce 5*F each week until minimum 65*F.

 

Water

One 1-quart fount per 25 chicks. Use fresh, cool (not cold) water., clean daily. Disinfect waterers prior to use and then weekly. Dip beaks to induce drinking. Elevate waterer after firts week to reduce contamination from litter. Waterers should not be higher than the chick's back. Double waterer capacity at 6 weeks.

 

Turkey Poults

Slower to understand eating and drinking, watch closely first few days. To get poults started, dip beaks in water and feed.

 

Ducklings/Goslings

May swim in water after 4 weeks. Keep dry until then. Place marbles in the water to reduce spalshing

 

Feeder(s)

One foot long per 25 chicks. Keep full at all times, scatter any starter ration on newspapers first 2-3 days to encourage eating

 

Top Ten Facts About Chickens:

1. It is thought that the nearest relative of the Tyrannosaurus rex is a chicken.
    
2. A castrated male chicken is called a capon.  
3. Chickens will be less 'flighty' if while tending a pen or chicken house the caretaker walks backwards.  
4. You can literally hypnotize a chicken by holding it and drawing a line in the dirt over and over. The chicken will stay still right there as long as you do this.  
5. Some breeds of chickens can lay colored eggs.  
6. Christmas has different meanings in different countries. Christmas Eve in Japan is a good day to eat fried chicken and strawberry short-cake.  
7. The average hen lays 265 table eggs each year.  
8. Arkansas produced over 1.1 billion broilers in 2006 which averages about 422 broilers for each Arkansan.  
9. A chicken's gizzard will likely have gravel to help "chew" the food for digestion.  
10. A rooster will usually perform a special waltz or dance in an attempt to attract a mate.

Constructing an Egg Candler

Objective

To construct an egg candler for detecting embryonic development or for separating shell eggs.

For Wooden Candler

Materials

• 1 60 watt bulb
• 1 porcelain socket
• 1 piece of stock lumber - 1 inch by 6 inches by 38 inches
• 2 No. 8 round wood screws, 1 inch in length
• 1 piece plywood 1/2 inch by 6 3/8 inches by 6 3/8 inches
• 1 male electric plug
• 4 small brads
• 6 feet of extension cord
• 16 seven-penny coated box nails

Procedure

1. Cut four pieces 8 inches long from the 1 by 6 board.
2. Drill a 1 inch hole in one of the pieces.
3. Bevel the edge of the hole.
4. Nail the four 8-inch pieces together as shown.

1. Cut the remaining piece of board to fit inside the candling box as a bottom.
2. Before nailing the bottom piece in place, screw the porcelain socket to the center of this piece.
3. Wire socket with extension cord and then nail bottom in place.
4. Drill a hold in back of the candler for extension cord, and wire male plug to cord after feeding the cord through the hole as shown in figure above.
5. Nail two small cleats to the 6 3/8 inch by 6 3/8 inch plywood. This piece will act as a removable top that will be held in place by the cleats.

For "Coffee-Can" Candler

Materials

• 1 one or two pound coffee can or similar metal can
• 1 porcelain socket
• 1 60 watt bulb
• 1 4 to 6 foot extension cord
• Tape to fasten the end back in the can

Procedure

1. Remove one end of the can in such a way that the heavy rim of the can remains on the removed end. This will make it much easier to replace and can be done quite easily if the can opener is reversed from the usual method of end removal.
2. Drill a hole approximately one inch in diameter in the end of the can that has been removed or in the plastic lid.
3. Mount the porcelain socket in the inside of the can opposite the end that has been removed.
4. Drill a small hole through this opposite end and attach the extension cord to the terminals of the socket.
5. Screw in the light bulb.
6. Replace the end of the can where the large hole has been drilled and tape securely or use the plastic lid that has been darkened.
7. Hold the egg in front of the hole.

                                                                    **Information and graphics acquired from University of Illinois Incubation and Embriology.