1. Prepare for chicks before ordering

1. Choose a reputable hatchery and ask about its testing status, vaccinations, breed, sexing policy, shipment date, and arrival instructions. Arrange prompt pickup and an adult caregiver for arrival day.
2. Set up and test a clean, dry, draft-protected brooder in advance. Use poultry-rated heating equipment secured according to its instructions, with room for chicks to move away from warmth.
3. For an overhead heat-source setup, University of Minnesota describes about 90–95°F at chick level initially, reducing about 5°F weekly as appropriate. A brooder plate uses its manufacturer’s setup instructions instead. Watch the chicks: crowding under heat or avoiding it signals that you need to check conditions.
4. Have chick starter and a suitable chick waterer ready. Ask the hatchery or vet how vaccination affects medicated-feed choices; avoid automatically combining products.

2. Check the flock morning and evening

1. Check water, feed, activity, breathing, bedding, and heat conditions. Observe each chick; clean waterers daily and correct wet litter. Newly arrived chicks need frequent checks.
2. As birds grow, follow the age-appropriate feeding plan and provide secure, ventilated housing. Protect feed and water from rodents and wild birds; use separate footwear and equipment where practical.
3. Learn the flock’s normal appetite and egg production. Sudden deaths, respiratory signs, or a marked flock-wide change need veterinary or animal-health advice. Stop moving or selling sick birds while you get instructions.

3. Protect the birds and the people caring for them

1. Wash hands with soap after touching birds, eggs, or their equipment. Keep poultry and their supplies out of kitchens and food-preparation areas; supervise children and avoid kissing or snuggling birds near the face.
2. Discuss newcomer separation, coccidiosis, mites/lice, and intestinal parasites with a poultry vet. Diarrhea is not enough to choose a wormer; testing and flock history matter.
3. Before any medicine, confirm that its use fits the bird’s age and egg/meat production status. Ask for the actual egg or meat withdrawal instructions and record them. An Amazon listing is not a veterinary treatment plan.

Keep a useful record

Give each animal or group a clear name. Record the date, what you observed, feed changes, test results, treatments actually given, and the next instruction. Let another caregiver see the current plan.

How to arrange testing and collect a manure sample

Source links checked September 14, 2026. This guide provides general education. Your veterinarian determines tests and treatment for your animals; product labels and the vet’s instructions determine safe use and food withdrawal periods.