20 days old chicks

My term 'Twenty Day Old Chicks' is slightly misleading because after twenty days the birds are no longer chicks, but nearly full grown chickens. As you see in the video, at 20 days the 'chicks' are now 1.5 to 2 kilos. That is 3 1/3 to almost 4 1/2 pounds. Considering they still have fifteen days to go they will be quite large chickens by then. We are raising thirty five day chickens. meaning they can be processed for food after 35 days. There are always a few slightly slower growing and they may be extended to 45 days. After a maximum of 45 days they will not grow more and are not practical to feed. The raising of the chickens was timed so they would be ready for Halloween. Halloween is a much more celebrated occasion here than in the USA. Myra new the Market was ripe and all the birds would be sold for the occasion. She has sold all of her chickens already. They are to be delivered or picked up on the November 1st, that is the celebrated day in the Philippines. Myra only saved me three. The next clutch of chicks will be purchased with Christmas in mind. We want fryers ready to sell for Christmas diner. There is always mixed emotion when preparing the chickens to sell. After feeding and tending the chickens for over a month there is always an amount of bonding that takes place. I felt dad for Myra when the last birds were all sold. She was out sitting next to the coop the next day and when I approached her she looked at me and said, " Hun Hun all my chicks gone. I have no chicks. I am too sad. " Myra likes raising fryers, but will not eat any of the chickens she had raised. She prepared chicken for me. When I asked her why she she wasn't eating she said, " I don't to eat my chicks I like fish more."

Setting the stage

Brooder: a safe place to keep chicks warm, watered, and fed. You can buy or build elaborate brooders, but many chick growers go with a large plastic tote or large cardboard box. Be certain to have the right size (with high walls) for the number of chicks. You can also start small and move to a larger brooder as the chicks get older. Finally, you'll want a (ventilated) lid to keep brave chicks from escaping once they get bigger. --Brooder location: You want to keep the brooder in a warm, dry place; many people set it up in a garage, others do it in their house, while yet others do it in the chicken coop (if there are no adult chickens in the coop). -- Heat lamp: Fairly essential to keeping the chicks warm and their temperature regulated, as they can't do so initially. You can use a regular lamp and lightbulb, but products made for this purpose (with a guard) are a bit safer and more consistent. Attaching heat lamp to a 2x4 across top of brooder works well as does attaching it to a floor lamp's pole. --Thermometer: While not absolutely crucial, a thermometer will help you more easily monitor the temperature in the brooder. -- Bedding: Pine shavings in general are the best materials, but in the first week or so, we like newspapers with a layer of paper towels on top (because the chicks will try eating the pine shavings). -- Waterer: Absolutely essential to have one or more waterers designed specifically for chicks; other systems will lead to sad results and death. -- Feeder: You don't necessarily have to get chick feeders (though it's recommended); some folks use the base of an egg carton. If you don't use a chick feeder, be more vigilant about keeping the feed clean (from poop) and dry. Some experts recommend simply placing the feed on a paper plate for the first few days. -- Chick starter feed: It's essential to use a feed specifically designed as starter for chicks; your main choice will be deciding between regular and medicated. Feed this feed for the first 8 weeks or so. -- Electrolyte powder: If your chicks are arriving by mail, purchase the electrolyte powder (think Gatorade for chicks) to supplement their water starting the third day or so and give the chicks extra strength in those key early days. (Old timers used to put sugar in the chick water.) -- Coop: Unless you're keeping the brooder in the coop, you don't technically need to have it ready now, but it's best -- as time will pass quickly. Every imaginable type of chicken coop exists -- and your goal should be to find/build the one that best fits your needs/code/number of chickens. -- Pen: The healthiest chickens are the ones who forage the yard for their food, thus you should have a plan for where you'll let your chickens roam, from one nicely fenced pen to a series of pens, to a moving pen, to your entire backyard. The pen should be fenced/enclosed to protect chickens from predators.

Location requirements

Location Requirements and Recommended Layout for Poultry Farms At least 1km away from the house. A poultry farm must be located outside urban areas. It must be located in 25 m radius from sources of ground and surface drinking water. Medium and large poultry farms must be at feast 1 km away from built-up areas (residential, commercial, institutional and industrial) while a small scale must be at least 500 m away from these areas.