Mt Healthy Hatcheries

Care and Brooding

Chicks Ducklings Turkey Poults Guinea Keets and Pheasant Chicks

Care for Day-Old Chicks

Start with clean quarters. The environment should be free of drafts and rodents. Chicks need to be kept at 95°F for the first 10 days. This is extremely important. Decrease the temperature by 5°F every week thereafter. The ideal temperature for a 6-week-old bird is 70°F. The most common heat source used is a 250-watt heat bulb. When decreasing the temperature always consider the behavior of the chicks – if the chicks are huddling up, they are chilled. If they’re evenly dispersed, moving around, eating and drinking they are comfortable. ALWAYS use a thermometer to gauge if your temperature is appropriate. A thermometer should be at a midpoint between the heat source and the barrier - not directly under the lamp. Within the first 10 days, it may be necessary to provide a barrier to keep chicks near the heat source.

Provide 2-4 inches of suitable litter. Pine (or any untreated wood) shavings are ideal. Do not use cedar as it is chemically treated and could be poisonous. Litter must always be kept dry. Avoid using straw, newspaper, or other slick surfaces as they will cause leg problems.

Chicks must always have fresh food and water. Feed a quality medicated starter feed for the first 1-8 weeks – then switch to a grower feed. You can scatter fine grit on top of the feed. We recommend you have enough feeders and waterers for at least 1/3 of your chicks to be able to eat and/or drink simultaneously.

PLEASE NOTE: It is very important to follow the care and brooding instructions to the letter to ensure the chicks get off to a healthy start. We guarantee all poultry healthy and well upon delivery. Mt. Healthy will not be responsible for any losses due to insufficient care.

Care for Day-Old Ducklings

Start with clean quarters. The environment should be free of drafts and rodents. Ducklings need to be kept at 95°F for the first 10 days. This is extremely important. Decrease the temperature by 5°F every week thereafter. The ideal temperature for a 6-week-old bird is 70°F. The most common heat source used is a 250-watt heat bulb. When decreasing the temperature always consider the behavior of the ducklings – if they are huddling up, they are chilled. If they’re evenly dispersed, moving around, eating and drinking they are comfortable. ALWAYS use a thermometer to gauge if your temperature is appropriate. A thermometer should be at a midpoint between the heat source and the barrier - not directly under the lamp. Within the first 10 days it may be necessary to provide a barrier to keep ducklings near the heat source.

Ducklings must always have fresh food and water. Feed a quality non-medicated starter feed for the first 1-8 weeks. Ducklings can eat unmedicated chick starter in a pinch, but we recommend feeding them duck starter if it is available to you. We recommend you have enough feeders and waterers for at least 1/3 of your ducklings to be able to eat and/or drink simultaneously. Be aware ducklings are naturally attracted to water, encouraging them to splash and play in their water dish. This water can splash on their bodies, chilling and ultimately killing them. They also can drown in it. Use a very shallow waterer, nipple system, or add rocks/marbles to the water dish.

Do not allow ducklings to swim until they have developed their adult plumage. We do not advise you brood ducklings with any other poultry due to their wet and sloppy nature.

PLEASE NOTE: It is very important to follow the care and brooding instructions to the letter to ensure the ducklings get off to a healthy start. We guarantee all poultry healthy and well upon delivery. Mt. Healthy will not be responsible for any losses due to insufficient care.

Care for Day-Old Turkey Poults

Start with clean quarters. The environment should be free of drafts and rodents. Poults need to be kept at 95-100°F for the first 10 days. This is extremely important for poults! Their entire brooder needs to be a consistent temperature throughout. There should be little to no temperature swings. Poults are exceptionally sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Decrease the temperature by 5°F every week thereafter. The ideal temperature for a 6-week-old bird is 70°F. The most common heat source used is a 250-watt heat bulb. When decreasing the temperature always consider the behavior of the poults – if they are huddling up, they are chilled. If they’re evenly dispersed, moving around, eating and drinking they are comfortable. ALWAYS use a thermometer to gauge if your temperature is appropriate. A thermometer should be at a midpoint between the heat source and the barrier - not directly under the lamp. Within the first 10 days it may be necessary to provide a barrier to keep poults near the heat source.

Poults must always have fresh food and water. It will be necessary to dip their beaks into the food and water to teach them how and where to eat and drink. Feed a quality medicated starter feed for the first 1-8 weeks – It needs to be at least 28% protein. You can scatter fine grit on top of the feed. We recommend you have enough feeders and waterers for at least 1/2 of your poults to be able to eat and/or drink simultaneously. Turkeys are especially prone to starving out – so extra feeders and a watchful eye is very important.

We do not recommend brooding turkeys with chickens for disease concerns and feed requirements.

PLEASE NOTE: It is very important to follow the care and brooding instructions to the letter to ensure the poults get off to a healthy start. We guarantee all poultry healthy and well upon delivery. Mt. Healthy will not be responsible for any losses due to insufficient care.

Care for Day-Old Guinea Keets and Pheasant Chicks

Start with clean quarters. The environment should be free of drafts and rodents. Keets need to be kept at 95-100°F for the first 10 days. This is extremely important for these! Their entire brooder needs to be a consistent temperature throughout. There should be little to no temperature swings. Keets are exceptionally sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Decrease the temperature by 5°F every week thereafter. The ideal temperature for a 6-week-old bird is 70°F. The most common heat source used is a 250-watt heat bulb. When decreasing the temperature always consider the behavior of the keets – if they are huddling up, they are chilled. If they’re evenly dispersed, moving around, eating and drinking they are comfortable. ALWAYS use a thermometer to gauge if your temperature is appropriate. A thermometer should be at a midpoint between the heat source and the barrier - not directly under the lamp. Within the first 10 days it may be necessary to provide a barrier to keep keets and chicks near the heat source.

Keets and chicks must always have fresh food and water. Feed a quality medicated starter feed for the first 1-8 weeks – It needs to be at least 28% protein. You can scatter fine grit on top of the feed. Feed should be a small particle/crumble. We recommend you have enough feeders and waterers for at least 1/3 of your keets or chicks to be able to eat and/or drink simultaneously.

Guinea Keets and Pheasant Chicks are skittish, quick, and flighty - you’ll need high walls and/or a wire lid to keep them contained. We do not recommend raising guineas or pheasants with any other fowl as they will ‘beat up’ on other birds.

PLEASE NOTE: It is very important to follow the care and brooding instructions to the letter to ensure the keets and chicks get off to a healthy start. We guarantee all poultry healthy and well upon delivery. Mt. Healthy will not be responsible for any losses due to insufficient care.

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