The Ultimate 8 Week Guide to Raising Chicks 🐣

[@pixelrancher]

I raised Chanteclers. Canada's only breed of chicken, bred in a monastery in the early 1900s in Quebec. Dual-purpose, great foragers, docile, great Mommas, averaged 5 or 6 eggs a week and continued all winter with barely slowing down. Handled -40° temperature without heat no problem. Look into sprouting their feed. Far more nutritious and they love it. Great vid. Thanks.

[@CoralieDeseve]

I raise Chanteclerc too, in Quebec and they’re the perfect dual purpose breed. Also, they’re SO much bigger than other breeds of chickens!

[@victoriadreisigacker5143]

Chickens can also make wonderful pets. I had a chicken that just loved to cuddle, she would purr.

[@blueststrawberry]

WAKE UP BABE NEW PRO HOME COOKS VIDEO

[@sim-one]

I hope this one is called Pro Home raises… 😅

[@BluePoo52]

Haha I wish my gf was as much a foodie as me so we could watch my food channels together

[@Chet_Thornbushel]

Great video! I love that you did the full journey. I think one of the biggest hindrances to responsible people going in on chicks is they think they’re going to do something wrong because there are all these rules and so many people have very strong stances on how to do everything. So I think a great reminder for folks who are hesitant is that chicks are raised by their moms on farms all the time with no rules and oversight. Keep them warm, fed, watered, and safe. Think like a mama chicken and don’t try to be a crazy scientist about it. The biggest thing is the infrastructure and making sure you have a secure space for them once they’re old enough. It sucks when an owl or raccoon or stray dog comes in and kills or hurt your flock. Make it secure, give them what they need, see their poop as a resource, and enjoy their funny little lives that you get to watch unfold. Don’t be scared! The more people growing protein and gardening, the better world we live in 🖤

[@wendyeames5758]

I've had hens in a suburb for 15 yrs. I've loved it but I'm not replacing any since I need to travel. Here are my top 3 things someone should ask themselves before they get into keeping chickens... . Do you have someone to watch them if you need to travel? . Do you have a plan for what you will do if a chicken gets sick? Will you take it to a vet if it needs to be killed, or can you do it yourself? And what will you do with hens when they have gotten too old to lay eggs? Are you willing to keep them as pets or to cull them? .& Do you have a plan in case you get a rooster? You can order pullets, but sexing chicks is only about 98% accurate. I ended up with a rooster & it was very hard to re-home. You have to be careful it's not sold to a cock fighting ring. Which in Texas anyway is hard to do.

[@padders1068]

Mike great video and tips. I was born and bred on a farm, and my sadly departed mother was the chicken expert. A few points (please don't think I'm being critical): As well as grain based food she always fed them left over uncooked vegetable food waste i.e. carrot peelings, indelible bit of broccoli, cabbage etc. And weeds (as long as they weren't toxic). And she used to boil potato peelings separately before feeding them to the chickens, I'm not sure on the logic of this but she swore buy it, a habit passed down to her from her parents. In my humble opinion with this kind a varied diet, you'll get much much better tasting eggs with amazingly orange yolks, rather than the anaemic looking pale yellow yolks you get from factory produced, store bought eggs. Hope my advice helps you and any of you viewers. 🙂😋😎❤

[@aali07]

Thank you for sharing! I have another question if you don’t mind 😊 what’s the difference between medicated and non-medicated feed and why/when would you feed them to hens?

[@padders1068]

@@aali07 Thanks for your rely, but sorry that's something I know nothing about so can't comment. I can only suggest you do a bit of Google research, I'd be interested in hearing what info you find out. 🙂

[@aali07]

@@padders1068 okay so I did a bit of a deep dive 😂 in summary: medicated feed can only be used to feed chicks during their first 2-4 weeks. Chicks don’t really have an immune because they have incubation time not gestation and don’t feed off their mother at birth. Essentially leaving them to build up an immune system from scratch. The most popular medication in these feeds is Amprolium which works by interrupting the life cycle of an intestinal parasite (Coccidia). I think it’s a virus because everyone mentioned that antibiotics can’t kill it. This parasite can inhibit nutrition absorption or even death in severe cases. Medicated feed aids in preventing this issue. The argument for non-medicated feed is allowing chicks to naturally build up their immune systems without intervention. I also some people say they’ve used medicated feed and never had any problems with their chicks. Hope this helps 😄

[@sophiadeyoung]

@@aali07 medicated feed is to prevent coccidiosis. chicks can (and should be) vaccinated for mareks disease but not cocci. you only would use medicated feed for young chicks because their immune systems haven’t developed fully until they’re a few weeks old. i recommend doing research to decide if you wanted to use it though 🙂

[@WobblesWattles]

Boiling potatoes is because rare potatoes can cause them harm. Most things from the nightshade family can unless provided in specific ways (boiling potatoes, only ripe tomatoes, none of the plant itself, ect). I'll add that if you're going to feed scraps and don't free range your birds, then you need to provide grit in order for them to break down their food properly. They're fine without it on chicken feed only since it basically turns to mush. Grit basically takes the place of the little pebbles and such they would normally eat on their own to add in digestion.

[@pobo6113]

I am very impressed with how good this video is. The information is accurate and complete. I really like how you went from beginning to end with the video. Great job 🐥 to 🐓👍

[@nogames8982]

Here’s a secret that works very well, and will simplify your life with chickens. Feed all your chickens, no matter their age grower feed. Have a oyster shell on the side in another bowl for hens that are old enough to lay. Your chickens will benefit from the extra protein, you won’t have to worry about what type of food eats chicken is eating, it’s just easier all the way around. I start my baby chicks with a 5 pound bag of medicated chick starter feed. When that is done, they get grower feed the rest of their lives.

[@amanasd26]

Honestly I think he wants complexity because its probably more entertaining to watch.

[@Gothbrooks420]

Im not a chicken owner (dont have the space) but I am a quail owner and I must say.. this video was great! boy those little chicks are adorable! Thanks

[@LifebyMikeG]

Awesome, glad you enjoyed the vid!

[@GardeningwithDave]

I am watching this only for educational purposes. 😂

[@GardeningwithDave]

Update: we picked up some chicks from the tractor supply over the weekend 😂. Wish me luck Mike ❤

[@BLTkitchen]

Thank you!!! My friend just told me she started homesteading and now I know how to talk chickens with her.

[@Liberty46]

Peasant romanian here , we've been growing chicks for 20 years now. You don't need all this pompous stuff, we use a big cardboard box with cloth on the floor as "bedding". Also we use an 250W infrared lamp as heat. We change the cloth periodically when manure starts piling up. For water and food we just use small bowls . P.S I've never fed chicks electrolytes and this is the first time i hear about it. I can safely say its not needed. All chicks grow up healthy and live a happy life and lay a lot of eggs, so don't be scared of raising chicks if you don't have the money for quality products, the chicks will surprise you with how strong survivalists they are. Right now as i type this we have 87 healthy and happy chicks in a big cardboard box :) Also forgot to add, for our adult chickens we just ground up corn and feed them that flour , or straight up corn they eat it whole too. Don't need to buy expensive "chicken feed" special for chickens. Baby chicks are more sensible so we too use special chick feed.

[@sharone976]

A great deal of this equipment wasn't available 20 years ago, so you just make do!

[@amanasd26]

yeah all this stuff feels like a gentrified chicken coop. I mean it makes for a good youtube video and some good takeaways here, but I've seen my aunts and uncles raise chickens for years and the set up was a lot more basic.

[@TreyJustice]

We have one older hen and two younger chicks. It is fun !

[@jakemartinez2525]

Wouldn’t recommend ordering chicks online, or picking them up from a bar. I find the best ones tend to hang out at libraries and other such locations.

[@SilkMilkJilk]

try Duckweed as food for big n small chicks. fast growing, highly nutritous and pretty much a no brainer for supplemental food. any Aquarist in your local area gladly gives you a bucket for free I bet^^

[@Semicolon42]

What do you do when the lovely chickens are at the end of their life?

[@sonofliberty1]

This is what I was wondering too. If you are raising them just as pets/for eggs only (i.e. not to be slaughtered) do you just keep them with the rest of the chickens until they die or do you have to seperate them out/provide extra care after a certain age?

[@sharone976]

@@sonofliberty1 A) You could sell them to an unsuspecting person as laying hens. B) You could boil them for a few hours and eat them or make stock - they will be a bit tough as supermarket are about 3 months old. C) You could let them run wild and see how long it takes a predator to take them. D) You could put it down.

[@sharone976]

@@sonofliberty1 Hens can live to 20-25 years, they only have about 200 eggs in their production system- sometimes more. I have had some really old hens which I loved. I suppose it depends how much you care.

[@sonofliberty1]

@@sharone976 Thank you for your second reply. If I were to raise/keep chickens I would want to keep them for their full life. Obviously I could have just looked that up online but I think it's important information for people to take into consideration when taking on the responsibility of keeping any animals.

[@sharone976]

@@sonofliberty1 I had one hen who laid eggs which were pointed at both ends - impossible for a chick to hatch from. They need a blunt end to the egg to crack through shell. She was so broody. When they brood, they don't drink or eat - death sentence! Gave her a duck egg to sit on. Boy did she look after that duck. It was twice the size of her. She was about 20 when she passed Good Old Hetty. Yes you do have responsibility for livestock, if you cannot put it down yourself responsibly and kindly, you need to be able to pay for a vet.

[@amigurumifriend4014]

thank you for all the valuable information you have put into this video. Its obvious you love what you do, and learning from you is a privilege

[@samermohamed7644]

Not me watching a homeateading video when I'm 5+ years out from owning a home that I can even do that with, haha

[@OxyCleanForYourBrain]

Someone with land but no health/energy/time may welcome you to do these things on their land

[@MichelleTech]

I miss my girls I had about 15 years ago when I lived in the mountains! I hope to have layers again someday!

[@dianaj3139]

Great video and set up... I have raised several flocks of chicks and my mother and grandmother both always had flocks of chickens. Another fun video is from Gildbrook Farm Raising backyard chickens... She shows a few tricks to "tame" the chickens by offering treats and talking to them a certain way. It's been up for many years and great for additional perspective.

[@Simmiepink]

Pro Home Cooks, video's every week (not every 3 or 4) turned into pro home gardening and farming.

[@candicechristensen1753]

If you can have sheep on your property that would be an amazing next step. Milk and lamb meat are such an amazing addition for self sufficiency 👍👍

[@ErikWilliam15]

Wow so cool and informative, thanks for sharing.

[@mariadurrence6508]

Always fun to revisit how to raise a chicken 101, sometimes is easy to lose track of the basics that makes you successful. At this point I’ve completed the circle, I’m breeding, hatching my own butcher them for the freezer, it’s a so rewarding experience, I’m raising American Bresse (dual purpose chicken) 😊

[@WobblesWattles]

How do you like the meat? I've heard claims it's one of the tastier breeds, but you know how people can get, lol

[@mariadurrence6508]

@@WobblesWattles It is really good, very juicy, I wish we could post pictures here. I have been raising Cornish Cross for years until I jumped to American Bresse, best decision ever

[@similis1134]

Over past years I started raising my chicks on fermented slop from the chick starter. Much less feed tossed around, more of it goes into the bird, and what comes out of the bird smells less nasty. They also grow quite fast on it.

[@JohnHausser]

Your take on the Indian Game breed ? 😊

[@عليالعراقي-ع2ت3ي]

علي موحان💕💛💕💛💕💛💕💕💛💕💛💕💛💕💚💙💚💚💙💚💙💙💚💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙

[@ranpergames]

It probably also exists in other countries but in Germany, some organizations get the chicks that can't lay eggs at the rate they are expected to in those large factories and sell them to you so they still have a relatively high rate of lying eggs when you get them plus you give these poor chicks a chance :)

[@Nino-xp5df]

This is a thing in the UK as well. These retired factory hens can still live a long and happy life and will lay eggs, just not "enough" for the commercial farming.

[@ranpergames]

@@Nino-xp5df Yesss! Exactly :D

[@desireedoan9267]

This was so much fun to watch my chickens love low-fat cottage cheese as a treat good calcium a little messy, but it's just a sometimes treat, so enjoyed watching

[@hipopotamus2625]

Chickens are cool.❤

[@petpawteek8776]

Those puppy playpens are seriously the best chicken brooders!

[@jimmycoleman3418]

Loved this one. Would love to see a breakdown of your coupe for the full grown chickens, I know you said it came with the house but things you like about it and things you would do differently etc.

[@sharone976]

What a lovely video. Over the years I have raised many chicks and ducks from egg to maturity. I wish I'd had your video then, but computers weren't out then! I don't know if it is the same in the USA as UK, but chicks hatched January/February when mature will lay all year until first moult. This is why hatching eggs are dearer to buy in Jan/Feb. Thank you for the video. Really enjoyed.

[@tracyharms1156]

It starts with chickens, then you end up with a rooster. Then you think to yourself, hmmm wonder if I can brood my own. Then when you start hatching your own, and mixing your own feed. That’s when you know you got in too deep. Electrolytes is a must in my opinion for the first week. You don’t know when they were getting from the nursery/ hatchery. Just be careful with medicated feed it can cause vitamin deficiencies and create problems you don’t want.

[@masonbaylorbears]

Chicken gateway drug, next thing you know cattle. Trust me i went from chickens to cows in a surprising amount of time

[@blueststrawberry]

lets go i was just bouta eat n now i got a video to eat breakfast to

[@MaryellenS.13]

I SOOOOO WISH THAT I COULD!!! No Farm animals allowed where I live! Time to move….

[@coljar100]

you are a hard-working, enormously caring chick dad.... loved this

[@kAzVAGaming]

Day 65 n u can make Chicken 65 Fry 😅

[@lindaraeramsey3846]

Excellent, very thorough tutorial from beginning to end!! From a chicken officianado😊. This should be nominated for a best in category UTube award😊. LindaRae

[@jessicajordan680]

I want chicks so badly! 😢 in my city I can have up to 5 without a permit and 10 with one. I'm fairly sure I can build and maintain a good coop and be a good chicken Mama I'm just a bit afraid of human predators coming around and stealing them. Because that's a thing 😐 I've had whole ass rose bushes stolen from my yard. Because So Cal is low key ghetto.

[@DrowsyScientist]

Sometimes I’m ok with the algorithm knowing what I’m looking for. How else would I have known that someone I’ve been following for ten years had the answers if not recommended thanks to my data? Lol Thank you for this one! I love this.

[@maxweddrin740]

You forgot the last part, which is to get a copy of "too many eggs" by Mimi Smith-Dvorak. A book with over 800 recipes for all those eggs you now have way too many of.

[@perrywinkle5000]

So when chickens get too old for eggs do you...process them for food? I'm genuinely curious because I'd imagine if they aren't consistently laying eggs anymore they would just kinda become like pets otherwise.

[@janciflak]

Gread video. Im personaly a flat living creature. We dont have time and money for house ,but i sad to my husbant that if i would change my mind and get som house with the garden just with chickens. Why? Because in my mind garden and home eggs is something what should be together. Who knows maybe in the 20 yeads this will be very halpful for us ☺️ right now it is just cute.

[@randalreigel4089]

Is it practical to raise chickens in weather that ranges from 40° in the winter to a 120° for 3 months out of the summer? I live in lake Havasu Arizona.

[@FrennLaugh]

I'm curious about something that I know some may find uncomfortable to talk about, but when your chickens get older and aren't laying as many eggs, what do you plan to do with them? Given how many you seem to be going for, do you plan to keep/sell the older ones for pets, or are you eventually going to use them for meat?

[@chadtv7289]

You need a guard dog to protect your chick and adult chicken

[@jasonschultz9570]

Are they noisy pretty much all the time? Because my neighbors are pretty close. But their dogs never shut up, so maybe a little noise polution revenge wouldn't be the worst thing. Also, what do you do with them while out of town? How long can you safely leave them alone?

[@dignityputnam6641]

This was an excellent video, I’m surprised it doesn’t have more views, thank you for making it!!

[@LifebyMikeG]

Glad it was helpful!

[@chad8566]

Giving them more interaction when they're young can help. Because the one thing I don't like is stressing my birds.

[@keteedevil]

i love this video so much

[@julesluvsJesusChrist]

I’m sorry but where is the link? People say this. It I’ve checked I don’t see it…? Help please…

[@YarpenZ64]

I loved this video. Maybe one of the best you've ever done.

[@Bruh-_-345]

Hey btw instead of the packets u can get blue Gatorade and put like a splash in it (any amount won’t hurt them)

[@VladCristeaYT]

Those eggs are not just rainbow eggs. For example, the "green" ones are low in cholesterol.

[@carolhabicht]

This is the most adorable video you have ever done 😍

[@adamwarren5654]

If you have kids 4th-12th grade and want to get into raising chicks I strongly recommend getting your kids into 4H. They have a poultry project that teaches the kids everything they need to know, as well as supplies chicks to raise.

[@JulieAllen86]

Loved the video, good information! I was surprised you were holding a rooster in the thumbnail when the video was about egg layers, but he's still a beauty!

[@tavuong666]

Do you food the chicken once they’re unable to lay eggs?

[@etherdog]

Especially good advice on integrating the newcomers with the established flock, Mike! Greatjob!

[@edafade]

My man, I saw you uploaded a video on making ginger beer and then remove it. Are you planning to upload it again at some point? I want to learn how to make it.

[@luviminjr.servanez1349]

can i have one egg to rase pls pls pls i like and subscribed

[@Prettykittychimi]

I once attempted to integrate my juvenile Crested Polish overnight. Woke up to the tiny bird almost dead, she got pecked through her Swiss cheese skull. She stood in a corner silently bobbing her head for 3 days then went back to normal. This is why I now have two chicken coops. 🙄

[@FB711_]

*takes notes from apartment in the middle of the city *

[@walterlewis1029]

Hi Mike i hope You and Jason from Twin Cities Adventures Channel. Could do a Colab together You both are raising Chickens.

[@nogames8982]

I get new baby chicks every couple years. I get rid of my oldest chickens when they’re four or five years old and get some new ones. That way I always have different ages of chickens. And if something comes up and I can’t get chicks one year, I still have enough younger chickens, and it doesn’t matter.

[@NomadOverNormal]

What a fantastic topic. this is so interesting

[@Bendueee]

I teach at an elementary school and my class got eggs this year. Most hatched on Sunday/Monday. They’ve grown so fast. Unfortunately we are talking them to a farm we partner with on Friday.

[@Michelle_Westdam]

If I want about a dozen eggs/day, can I just get 12-15 "ready to lay" chickens in the spring?

[@OnceSomeFunATime]

Does this apply to other countries chickens

[@klipzig]

Great video. I'd like to raise chickens as well but my back yard is to small. I plan to do this when i retire and move out of state with a bigger back yard. Have you thought about raising rabbits? I was looking into this as well for food and making clothing.

[@keto4life458]

This in the BEST “how to” video I have watched on chickens Just got chickens, have lots to learn, thank you!

[@DongFarm7749]

Đáng yêu quá ❤❤❤❤❤

[@willshelby6172]

When he said he’s from New York I realized he could be a fourth AJR brother!

[@PK-op2kh]

oh, wow, so nice of you to document it. I think lots of us live either in flats or in houses with tiny space outside, so for me on my 300 qm with neighbors from every side that owuld be impossible, but maybe one day I will try, if we move to house with more garden :)

[@kroee]

Later, when you have a "broody" hen, you can put her in the separate mini coop and give her fertilized eggs to incubate.

[@peri5312]

you might benefit from the deep litter method!

[@uclajd]

Have you ever thought of getting some Guinea fowl to mitigate bugs and ticks?

[@FOMAHsince2014]

We have the dump wagon you use and that thing is the bomb!!!

[@LeahNess-t7o]

Also mention that there are 2 kinds dual purpose for meat and eggs and just egg layers.❤

[@atiliolavoie5986]

Great video. I’ve always been interested in doing this, and hope to do it in the future. :)

[@annaly3]

My dream is to have chickens of my own some day. Cant wait until i have the space for them!

[@FOMAHsince2014]

I literally thought a 3rd and last pic was gonna be a cooked one!😂

[@MCPeeBoy]

Do you keep only egg laying chicken or are you thinking of getting some cornish crosses as well?

[@tiffanymcivor5279]

I wish my city didn’t have a bylaw against owning chickens 🥺

[@suolainenomena7631]

"The way things are heading..." yeah, it's pretty grim. Thank you for the great video!

[@roberttaylor9259]

Biggest question, if you have to pay for it all, is it cost effective and will you make your money back over time?

[@justanerd414]

I highly doubt it is cost effective considering all the work, equipment required

[@roberttaylor9259]

@@justanerd414 I also guess it depends on which eggs you buy the $2 ones or the $8 ones. Because that contributes to the cost analysis

[@elijahthesage8510]

Man, I love chicks

[@zazelskycrest2525]

Good video, great to see. Fry chicken video when?

[@lesm285]

Don't forget the nightlight so they don't get lost looking for the brooder when they are little.

[@LAVALUVS]

❤😊❤😊❤😊

[@ricardosoares6483]

I have just come across your videos, I just want to say: they´re great.

[@yakitoripapa]

Really awesome tutorial - thank you so much!

[@adriang3492]

7:17 fast and furious!

[@jenniferbledsoe4311]

Thank you!!

[@missmg888]

Great Video!

[@user-yp2kp1mj2q]

the little chick is so adorable

[@camicri4263]

Great video! Blessings!

[@olive4naito]

What if you live in Canada and winters can reach -15 to -25 celcius?

[@kroee]

That's too cold for chicks, get them in early summer. Full grown chickens (3 months+) of most breeds can handle such cold. After all, they're covered with down. Make sure they can stay dry and protected from the wind.