Growing Season Begins + 3 Things RFF Chicks Get on Day One
Addie snapped this picture of our Valentine’s Day “date”- introducing chicks to the brooder!
Wednesday was one of our favorite days on the farm- the day our first flock of chicks arrived!
Moving our first chicks into the brooder marks the official start of the Riley Family Farms poultry production season. We take a break from growing meat birds during our short Mississippi winter, so that means our brooders and on-field shelters are empty between late November and mid-February. This year our first flock of six hundred day old chicks arrived on Valentines Day. For Caleb and I it is appropriate considering that farming is pretty high up on our list of true loves!
We source our chicks from Metzer Farms hatchery in Memphis, TN, but this early batch had to be shipped from their California location. While there are certain things all of our day old chicks need, it is especially vital after a few days in the US postal system:
Warmth and Dry Bedding
Freshly hatched chicks need warmth and lots of monitoring, so we keep them in our greenhouse brooders until their feathers come in and they are ready to be moved to the pasture. Caleb’s past career and current side interest is in architectural drafting and design, a skill set he was able to bring into play in designing and building brooders that are 100% customized to the needs of our farm. The greenhouse design allows us to utilize the warmth of the sun to help keep our chicks at the needed 90 degrees Fahrenheit, while roll up sides and an optional shade cloth keep them from getting too hot in the summer months. Bedding in the brooder is also something that our chicks can’t afford for us to get wrong. It must be ample to absorb their waste for the 3 weeks they are in the brooder in order to avoid disease, free of dust that could enter their respiratory system and, of course, at Riley Family Farms it must also be completely compostable! We spread a thick carpet of pruning waste wood chips, followed by a layer of more absorbent shavings, and turn on their brooder lights about 24 hours before chicks arrive to ensure they have a warm environment ready to go.
2. Fresh Water and ACV
As soon as our the chicks come out of the box they need fresh water. Chicks are extremely curious (like all babies!) so we only have to introduce the water source to a few- the rest will quickly figure it out by example. Riley Family Farms chicks get a little bonus in their water- a splash of raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Many people have benefited from ACV in their diet, and these same benefits have been found to be helpful for poultry as well. We are committed to keeping our chickens free of antibiotics and growth hormones, and the immune and digestive support provided by the apple cider vinegar assures that we can do this while also respecting our animals by keeping them as happy and healthy as possible.
From day one, our chickens get a splash of raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar in their water to enhance digestion and growth and ensure a strong immune system.
3. Non-GMO Feed
Before the chicks arrive we make sure we have lots of fresh, easily accessible feed. After getting a drink of water they wander over to the feeders and begin to eat. They start eating because of curiosity and instinct, and then they keep eating because for chicks our non-GMO feed is a gourmet feast and they love it! Interestingly, for the first several days the chicks are actually still utilizing the nutrients and energy from their yolk sac and the food they eat on day one will fuel and grow them when that is gone.
4. BONUS: Love and Attention
When chicks arrive they are adorable, funny little fluff-balls so of course everyone wants to get in on the day one action! The kids flock out to the brooder and stay for hours. The hidden benefit is that if anything goes wrong- such as excitable chicks deciding to take a bath in the waterer and getting a chill!- the kids are quick to notice and make sure they make it under the brooder for warmth. These moments are part of the joy and beauty in farm life. When we see the kids getting to experience the awe of new life and connect with the wonder of natural creation, over and over as they grow up, all of the late nights and cold mornings are worth it.
