How to Raise Baby Chicks
What do you Need to Raise Chicks?We’ve talked about backyard poultry here on the show before, but we’ve never explored raising chicks. Our guest today is Dr. Scott Gillingham from Guelph, Ontario. He’s a poultry veterinarian who works with big flocks. But
Food Garden Life Show: Helping You Harvest More from Your Edible Garden, Vegetable Garden, and Edible Landscaping · Emma Biggs, Steven Biggs
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (dts.podtrac.com) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
What do you Need to Raise Chicks?
We’ve talked about backyard poultry here on the show before, but we’ve never explored raising chicks.
Our guest today is Dr. Scott Gillingham from Guelph, Ontario. He’s a poultry veterinarian who works with big flocks. But he’s also a homesteader with his own small flock.
Commercial scale and homestead scale agriculture are often in different silos. His passion is bridging the silos.
We’ll hear about:
- Crop fill
- Brooding chambers
- Preventative medicine
- Comfort zones
- Giving chicks the right temperature
- Suitable feed for chicks
Observation is Very Important
We’ll also talk about something that is very useful tool when raising chicks: A 5-gallon bucket.
Gillingham explains how he uses a simple bucket to sit on and observe what’s up. It works in big commercial barns; it works with small home flocks.
He says that when chicks have everything they need you’ll see them eating, drinking, sleeping, and playing. If not — you’ll see huddling for warmth or with wings up trying to cool themselves.
Book about How to Raise Chicks
Gillingham’s book is Raising Amazing Chicks: The First Seven Days.
---
Join 6,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang and get practical weekly tips to grow more food at home—free. It’s the best way to get started. [Join the newsletter]