Chick Care

Giving your chicks a healthy start in life determines how well it will perform for you when they are grown.  Proper nutrition as a baby effects how many eggs she will lay in her life, the quality of the shell, whether the feather pattern is correct for the breed and how prone to disease they will be as adults.

Feed ~ All chicks should be fed chick starter for the first  4 weeks then put on grower feed for the next  12-16 weeks.  Chickens like to scratch.  Use a proper chick feeder to keep them from scratching their food everywhere. 

You will find chick feed comes in medicated and unmedicated.  Medicated feed is designed to combat a parasite called Coccidiosis which is contagious and can be deadly.    Medicated starter generally has amprolium which is a thiamine blocker for cocci.  As a result the cocci parasite does not reproduce as quickly and the chick and develops resistance (not immunity) to cocci.  Medicated feed does NOT contain antibiotics.   

Chicks vaccinated for Coccidiosis  SHOULD NOT have medicated feed.  

Otherwise choosing medicated or unmedicated  feed is a personal choice.  

Water  ~ CLEAN water is vital.   The chicks will scratch their bedding in it and poop in it.  Little chicks can get sick fast if they don’t have clean water.  If you wouldn’t drink it don’t let them drink it!  Again, use proper chick water.  It will help keep the water clean and keep the chicks from drowning! 

Grit ~ Chickens don’t have teeth.  Their gizzard grinds the food with the aid of small pebbles.  For chicks, provide them a small dish of play sand or parakeet gravel. 

The Brooder ~ Baby chicks need to be protected from drafts but still have adequate ventilation. This can be in the form of a cardboard box a large plastic storage bin or any kind of container that has sides high enough to keep them from jumping or flying out. 

A Heat Source  ~ The first week of their lives they require an air temperature of 95 degrees, the second week 90 degrees, and so on - going down by 5 degrees per week until they're ready to transition to "outside". A 250-watt infrared heat lamp is the best way to achieve this, is to put the heat lamp at one end of the brooder. The height of the light will depend on what it takes to achieve your target temperature.  When you see your chicks piled up they are trying to keep warm.  If they are spread out and panting they are too hot.  It is important that they are able to move in and out of the warmest part of the brooder. 

Bedding~  Absorbent bedding is a must.  Pine shavings are the best choice.  Do not use cedar!   Put just enough in the brooder to absorb their mess and to keep them from slipping.  Newspaper is not a good idea.  It does not provide enough traction.  If you prefer to use something other than pine shavings, grippy shelf liner will work.

Pasting Up ~ Nearly all chicks will get “pasting up”.  This happens when their poo gets stuck in their fluff.   It can be deadly.  If the poo blocks the vent,  the chick cannot pass anymore waste and can die very quickly  It is easy to clean with a warm wet paper towel and a little patience. 

Waterfowl ~ Without their mama, ducklings and goslings do not have the proper oil on their down to keep them dry and afloat.  If you let your babies swim, make sure they don’t get water logged and that they have a warm place to dry off.

Chicks don’t stay little for long.  Whatever long-term coop solution you go with, make sure it provides 2 square feet per bird.  It sounds like a lot, but as they get older (and bigger) you'll realize why this is necessary.  They should have access to the outdoors where they are protected from predators like cats, dogs, raccoons and hawks.  

 Prepared for Tractor Supply Company store 1668  by Brooke Hahn..   Brooke is a Member of Appleton 4H Club and Fuzz and Feathers Poultry Club  

Corn and Black Bean Salad

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1 gallon size zip lock bag

2 Tablespoons Water

2 Cans Black Beans, Drained and rinsed

4 ears fresh corn or 1 pound package of frozen corn      

1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into small strips

3-5 green onions, sliced (about 1 cup)

2 Jalapeno Peppers, minced (or less)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 Teaspoon gound cumin

1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel

4 cups mixed salad greens

.

Cut corn from Cob.  Place fresh or frozen corn in bag.  Add remaining

ingredients.  Close bag completely.  Hold a corner of the bag in each

hand and toss ingredients together by gently shaking.  Refrigerate for 1 hour. 

Serve over the salad greens.

Salt if necessary.

Ingredients

• 6 hardcooked eggs (peeled cut in half and yolks mashed in a bowl)
• 14 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Tomato taste
• 1 Tbsp prepared horseradish
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp chopped celery (including leaves)
• 12 tsp Dijon mustard
• 12 tsp celery seed
• 12 tsp Tabasco sauce (taste)
•  2 tsp vodka (optional)
• salt
• black pepper
• Topping:
• 4 Tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 Tbsp Vodka (optional)
• Dash of Tabasco (or more if you like it spicy)
• chopped celery or celery leaves (garnish)

 Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl smash the yolks, mayonnaise, tomato paste, horseradish, Worcestershire  chopped celery, mustard, celery see and, hot sauce. Transfer to a small plastic bag.  Allow the mixture to sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to meld.  Cut a small corner off and pipe the filling into the egg whites. Keep in the refrigerator.
2. For the topping: In a small saute pan combine the tomato paste,  vodka and hot sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cook over  medium  heat until bubbly.  The consistency should be that of catsup.  If it is to  thick, use water or vodka to thin.  If it is too thin, continue to cook until it reaches the correct consistency   
3. Cool the sauce to room temperature.  Just before serving, spoon the tomato sauce on top garnish the eggs with celery,  and serve.  
4. The image shows the eggs topped with beef jerky...that was not to my liking. 

Blue Buffalo

Blue Buffalo

Ingredients                                                             

• 1/4 cup chicken (cooked, finely chopped)
• 1 hot sauce Buffalo wing sauce, enough to cover chicken, plus 5 teaspoons  (Franks Red Hot is my favorite)
• 6 eggs (hard-cooked, peeled, cut in half, and yolks mashed in a bowl)
• 1/4 cup butter (softened)
• 3 Tablespoons Crumbled Blue Cheese (plus more to garnish)  
• 1 tsp celery (chopped, plus more for garnish)
• 1 salt (to taste)
• 1 black pepper (to taste)

Preparation

1. Place the chicken in small bowl and pour in enough Buffalo wing sauce to cover,  let sit for at least 5 minutes.
2. Combine the thoroughly mashed yolks with the butter. Stir in the Blue Cheese and celery. Lift the chicken from the wing sauce and drain slightly, then add to the yolk mixture, along with the remaining 5 teaspoons Buffalo wing sauce. Taste, then season with salt and pepper.
3. Fill the whites evenly with the mixture, garnish each egg half with some chopped celery and blue cheese, and allow to sit at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes before serving to let the flavors develop.

Jalapeno Devils

• 6 hard-cooked eggs

• 1/4 cup sour cream

• 2 tablespoons cooked corn kernels (fresh, canned or frozen)

• 2 teaspoons chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder  OR 1/4 teaspoon fresh minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

• 1 teaspoon fresh cilatro

• 2 tablespoons finely *chopped peppers* (see notes below)

• salt and black pepper, to taste

• Shredded Jack cheese, for 

  garnish

                                              

Cut the eggs in half and mash the yolks in a bowl. Combine the thoroughly mashed yolks with the sour cream. Stir in the corn, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne and chiles. Taste, then season with salt and pepper.  If you are using canned corn and chilis, make sure to drain them well and pat them dry.  

Fill the whites evenly with the mixture and garnish each egg half with shredded cheese and if you like a bit of fresh cilatro or a slice of fresh pepper

*Use your favorite peppers.  For the most mild flavor use a mild canned green chili.
For a fresher flavor use a fresh green chili, jalapeno or Serrano pepper*

The Devil Meets Greek Goddess     

                                                                             

Ingredients

• 6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut horizontally    
• 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
• 2Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon. finely chopped rosemary  ~or~ 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 12 Greek olives, pitted and finely diced
• parsley or rosemary to garnish (optional)

Directions

Pop out (remove) the egg yolks to a small bowl and mash with a fork. In the work bowl of your food processor, combine the mashed egg yolks, mayonnaise, olive oil, feta, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Fill the empty egg white shells, either with a spoon or with a piping bag. Top with diced olives and parsley (if using) on top to garnish.

Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one day before serving

Image from Google Search  Recipe adapted from Deviled Egg by Debbei Moose

Dirty Martini Deviled Eggs 

Ingredients

• 6 hard-cooked eggs
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vodka
• 1/2 teaspoon Vermouth (optional) 
• 1/2 teaspoon olive juice
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
• 14 Stuffed Olives.  Use Pimento, Garlic, Jalapeno or Blue Cheese

Directions

• Finely chop eight olives and set aside. Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks. In a small bowl, mash yolks. Add the chopped olives half the olives, mayonnaise, parsley, vodka, olive juice and cayenne; mix well. Stuff or pipe into egg whites.
• Cut the remaining olives in half. Garnish eggs with olive halves and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 1 dozen.

If you garnish like the picture with a whole olive you will need 22 olives and toothpicks. 

Variation ~  For Gibson Deviled Eggs substitute the olives for cocktail onions. Just make sure to chop the onions finely. ~

Recipe from Deviled Eggs  by Debbie Moose.