How you start and grow your baby chicks and other poultry is very important. From Welp, you will receive the finest chicks and other poultry that modern breeding can produce. If you feed and manage them along the lines we outline here, they should perform extremely well for you. If you "cut corners" at any point, the chances are good that it will cost you in the long run.

Before the chicks arrive, make sure the starting area has been cleaned, disinfected, and free of poultry for 7-10 days if possible.

Litter/Bedding should cover the entire starting area to a depth of 2-3 inches. Peat moss, wood chips, and rice hulls work the best. Never cover litter/bedding with paper of any kind. The chicks will slip on paper, and leg spraddling can become a problem. This problem is irreversible, so please do not use paper.

Heat...heat lamps or brooders should have been on for 24 hours, and the temperature should be in the 90-95 degree range with the bulb of the thermometer 2-3 inches off the floor. Drop the temperature 5 degrees per week to 70 degrees, after which the birds should need little or no heat. Figure 2-125-watt heat bulbs per 100 chicks. Also, be sure you have room in the area you keep them so that they can all be under the heat lamp or out from the heat if they need to.

Water...room temperature water should be in the waterers when the chicks arrive. To this first water, add one-fourth cup of sugar per gallon. Let the chicks drink this water for one hour before providing them with feed. Use fresh water for the next 2 days. After this time you can provide them with 3 days of Biotin Stress Pak or Vitamins/Electrolytes, and then give them fresh water again. Use Vitamins/Electrolytes as recommended by the manufacturer. Start with two - 1 gallon waterers  per 100 chicks. Figure one linear inch of watering space per chick.

*Terramycin…this should be given when needed. Overuse of antibiotics can decrease its effectiveness when actually needed. We would suggest using this only when chicks are sick. Give dosage as suggested on the package.

Feed...See feed and other requirements listed for each poultry type below. Pay special attention to the feed recommendation for Cornish Rock Broilers.

Draft Shield...should surround the area where the chicks will be started. Corrugated cardboard, 12-18 inches high, or baled straw or hay work well for this.

Predators...can be devastating to all types of poultry. Cats, dogs, skunks, and mink are some of the worst offenders. Make sure your building area is tight against animals of all kinds.

Baby Chick Care

1. Start all baby chicks on a 20% Chick Starter (Medicated). Carry them through 8 weeks of age on this for all chicks other than Cornish-Rock broilers. (See details for starting broilers under Cornish Rock Chick Care). At 8-9 weeks, switch your egg-type, bantams, rare and unusual breed chicks to an 18% grower ration (unmedicated). At 16 weeks of age, commence feeding them a 16% Complete Layer ration. We suggest that no grain be fed on the side during any period of the chick's life.
2. Water: start your newly arrived chicks as we outline in our general recommendations. That is…1/4 cup sugar per gallon in the initial water they receive…and let them drink just that water for one hour before setting the feeders into the pen. This is an excellent way to help cover the stress of shipping, etc. After this, give them fresh water to drink.

3. Provide 2.5 inches of feeder space and 1 inch of watering space per chick for the first 10-12 weeks. You will need to expand that a little more as the bird gets older. Provide 1/2 square foot of floor space for the first 2 weeks. Expand that to one square foot until housing time (layers). At time of housing, figure 1.75 to 2 square feet per bird for regular-sized chickens and 1 to 1.5 square feet per bird for the smaller bantams.

Duck & Gosling Care
Both Ducklings and Goslings should be watered immediately on arrival. It is not necessary to add any medication or sugar to the water. Start them on a 20% Duck and Goose (or chick) Starter. Keep them on that ration for the first 2-3 weeks. You may then switch them to a 16-18% Grower ration. Keep ducklings on that ration until slaughter. When goslings reach 3-4 weeks of age, you can commence feeding them cracked grain. For both ducklings and goslings, providing them with smaller pellet-sized feed is best, although not mandatory. One thing is very important when growing waterfowl, and that is that you must never let waterfowl run out of water. Should they run out of water and still have access to feed, a "choking" problem may result. Waterfowl need water to "wash down" the feed they eat.

Feed and watering space is very important for all poultry, but particularly so with ducklings and goslings. Figure 2 inches of feeder space per bird for the first 2 weeks, 3 inches per bird to 6 weeks, and 4 inches per bird after that. On watering space, figure 2-3 inches per bird from the beginning. If you get into "hot weather" periods, you must be sure to provide additional watering space.

Medicated feed...until just recently, we told customers that medicated feeds would not hurt waterfowl. However, we have had reports that some of the new feed medications do, in fact, negatively affect waterfowl. We suggest you try to use a non-medicated feed for your ducklings and goslings. Never use a feed containing arsenic for waterfowl.

Turkey Care
Turkeys may be started in much the same way that we recommend you start baby chicks. Start them on a medicated 28% Turkey Starter for the first 8 weeks. From 9 to 14 weeks, provide them with a 20-21% Turkey Grower. Finish your poults on a 16% Turkey Finisher ration. If you are unable to find "turkey feeds", start and grow your poults on a 20-22% Chick Starter (medicated) for the first 12 weeks. From that time on to the time of slaughter, provide them with an 18% Chick Grower ration. All rations should be medicated.

Figure 3 inches of feeder space and 2 inches of watering space per poult to begin with. Expand that as needed as they grow older. Occasionally, customers have problems getting their turkey poults to eat and drink. In the event you might have chicks the approximate age as your turkey poults, consider putting 4-6 of them in with the newly arrived turkeys. The chicks will lead the turkeys to feed and water. Remove the chicks from the turkeys after 3-4 days. Never cover the litter with paper of any kind. If you do cover with paper, this can lead to "leg spraddling" problems. Finally, it is best to keep turkeys and chickens separated during the growing period. If this is not done, turkeys can pick up "black head" from the older chicken droppings. If your turkeys pick up black head, mortality will result.

SPECIAL NOTE: 
Start Turkeys at 100 degrees and decrease 5 degrees each week. Turkeys are very susceptible to cold, so be sure the brooder and bedding are warm when they arrive. Sometimes turkeys will not find food and water at the time of arrival. If you have baby chicks that are 5-10 days old, you might consider putting 4-5 of them in with the newly arrived turkeys for 2-3 days. Be sure to take the chicks out when the turkeys have caught on, as there is potential for contracting blackhead disease from droppings.

Cornish Rock Care

Start your Cornish Rock broiler chicks just as you start any baby chick. Start them on a 20-22% Chick and/or Broiler Starter. Keep them on that ration for the first 4.5 to 5 weeks. At that age, switch them to an 18% Chick Grower.
Please make sure you restrict the feed as we outline below!
Provide 3 inches of feeder space and 1 inch per chick of watering space.
    You will "full feed" your broiler chicks around the clock for the first 5 days (of age). At 7:00 P.M. of the 5th day, make sure your broiler chicks are completely out of feed. That means there is positively no feed in the morning. You will need them out of feed for 12 CONSECUTIVE hours. Water, yes, ... but no feed.. NOT EVEN A THIMBLE FULL! Continue this minor feed restriction program... removing the feed every night, until time of slaughter. Failure to follow this feeding program may result in heart attacks. Sudden Death Syndrome or "FLIP" as it is sometimes called! If this occurs, it is the result of the very rapid growth of your Welp broiler chicks. Following the above restriction outline, religiously, every night commencing the 5th night of their 5th day of age, will reduce "flip" substantially.
    Regardless of your location in the U.S., you must follow this feed restriction program when growing Cornish-Rock broilers. For people living in higher elevations (mountains), it is VERY IMPORTANT that feed restriction be practiced on their fast-growing broilers! If any questions on this program, please call us at 1-800-458-4473!

Game Bird Care
These types of poultry can be started much as we outline for baby chicks. Each of these birds should be started on a 28-30% Turkey Starter or Game bird feed. If neither of these feeds can be found, they can be started on 20-22% Chick Starter. At 8 weeks of age, switch them from Gamebird/Turkey Starter to an 18-20% Grower. As you might expect, going with the higher protein feeds will speed the growth of these types of fowl. However, if they are not available, the Chick Starter and Grower feeds will do the job for you.
With all types of poultry, it is important that Guineas be kept out of the waterers. If you experience the birds getting into the waterers and getting soaked, place some small rocks or marbles in the drinking trough. This will normally solve the problem.

COTURNIX NUTRITIONAL CARE

28% Game bird or Turkey Starter with Amprolium

Feed 0-4 weeks of age

Use a Mini crumble - observe that particles are small enough (if they are not, use a food processor to grind feed into smaller particles)

19-21% Breeder or Grower/Maintenance

Feed after 4-5 weeks of age

Use a regular crumble or mini pellet

*Please provide with as much feed and water as birds would like to consume.

COTURNIX PEN SETUP
0 – 2.5 weeks of age

Raise under brooder or heat lamp. Chicks should have radiant heat of 100 degrees F directly under the lamp and 95F around the outside of the lamp. Use a thermometer or heat gun to check the temperature. Keep chicks at 95 degrees F for the first 7 days, then drop 1-degree Fahrenheit daily as long as chick behavior is healthy.

Over 2.5 weeks of age

When they have most of their feathering and birds are circling away from the heat light, you may remove the heat lamp. Keep room temperature around 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. You may begin to drop the temperature 1-2 degrees daily to reach the temperature at which birds will be placed permanently.

Egg Production and Breeding

Female Coturnix quail will begin laying eggs at 6-8 weeks of age. To promote egg laying, the bird must have ample day length. If you want the birds to breed, it is recommended to run them 5 females to 1 male. 

Meat Production

Males are great for meat production or breeding. They are ready to process at 8 weeks of age. 

Square Inches per Bird

Females Only: 46 sq in per bird
Breeding: 64 sq in per bird

BOBWHITE NUTRITIONAL CARE
28% Game bird or Turkey Starter with Amprolium

Feed 0-8 weeks of age

Use a Mini crumble - observe that particles are small enough (if they are not, use a food processor to grind feed into smaller particles)

22% Game bird or Turkey Grower
Feed 8-15 weeks
Use a regular crumble or mini pellet

19% Game bird or Turkey Finisher/Maintainer

Feed after 15 weeks of age

Use a mini pellet

Breeding: Feed 21% Game bird of Turkey Breeder

*Please provide with as much feed and water as birds would like to consume.

BOBWHITE PEN SETUP
0 – 8 weeks of age

Raise under brooder or heat lamp. Chicks should have radiant heat of 100 degrees F directly under the lamp and 95-degrees F around the outside of the lamp. Use a thermometer or heat gun to check the temperature. Keep chicks at 95 degrees F for the first 7 days, then drop 1-degree Fahrenheit daily as long as chick behavior is healthy.

Over 8 weeks

When they have most of their feathering, usually around 6-8 weeks, birds can go outside. Make sure no rain is forecasted for at least 3- 4 days and that birds are acclimated to the same temperature outside. Birds should have ample plant cover or shelter and should be in a pen or cage that has a roof. Please provide birds with plenty of hiding spots, food, water, and sunlight.  

Release Information

Northern Bobwhite Quail may be released at 16 weeks of age at maturity. To increase the success rate, release in an area that has plenty of food over winter and cover for the birds. Please contact your local wildlife management for more information.

 
PHEASANT NUTRITIONAL CARE

28% Game bird or Turkey Starter (30% is even better)

It should be something fresh; feed tends to lose vitamins after sitting on the shelf for a year or two. So do research on your feed. You get what you pay for.

1day to 6 weeks of age will consume 2lbs total per bird, and after 6 weeks to maturity will consume approx. 1lb. per week per bird. 

*Please provide with as much feed and water as birds would like to consume.