brooding and raising instructions

Those working or playing in the environments in which birds are kept should wash their hands thoroughly before handling food or putting the hands in the mouth. It is especially important that this sanitary procedure be taught to children that may be handling birds.

NOTICE - THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT - After the brooding stage, don’t have lights on at night. All types of poultry need a period of darkness. Leaving light on all night creates stress in the birds to the point of breaking down with diseases.

BROODING TEMPERATURES - DECREASE WEEKLY
Goslings and Ducklings - First Wk. - 90 degrees —
Chicks, Turkeys, Guineas & Game Birds - First Wk. - 95 degrees

The following brooding instructions apply to the amount of birds which can be brooded under one 250 watt heat lamp such as 25 goslings, 50 ducklings, 50 turkeys, up to 100 chicks, bantams or gamebirds. If more birds are to be brooded at one time, provide a larger circle and hang two 250 watt heat lamps over the birds.

A dry basement floor, garage or a tight shed or barn is the ideal place to brood any kind of poultry. Put plastic on the floor of the brooding area. Form a circle with corrugated brooding guard to keep the birds contained and to ward off floor drafts. The circle should be 4 or 5 feet in diameter. Dry sawdust, shavings, peanut hulls, cane pulp, crushed corn cobs, etc., can be used as litter. The litter should be 3 or 4 inches deep and must be kept dry at all times. As wet spots occur, remove them and add fresh, dry litter.

A 250 watt heat lamp is suspended from the ceiling in the center of the circle. The heat lamp should be from 18 to 20 inches above the birds in a cold area and 24 to 27 inches in a warmer area. When a heat lamp is too close to the birds it creates unbearable heat so they move away from the area and become chilled. It is very important to place the heat lamp at a height so that the birds are comfortable underneath the lamp. Never use ordinary light bulbs for brooding. They are meant to produce light and do not have the heating qualities of the heat lamp. Don’t hang a heat lamp in a high-sided carton.

Always use litter because goslings, guineas, turkeys and gamebirds slip and become spraddle legged on bare floors, cardboard or newspaper, etc. If per chance one of your birds becomes spraddle legged, fasten a soft cord to one leg at the ankle. Also fasten it to the other ankle leaving a space between the legs as it normally should be. The bird will be able to walk with this support. Usually after a few days the cord can be removed.

Use low flat baking pans, or anything low and flat that has a large surface area. Fill the pans with feed so the birds can walk in it and find the feed easily to start to eat. Leave the feeders and waterers with the birds constantly. Use drown proof fountains for guineas and game birds.

Goslings and Ducklings are very easy to raise and are highly disease resistant, therefore never give them feeds which contain medicines meant for chicks. Feed an unmedicated chick crumble available at your feed store. Fresh water should be supplied at all times. They will eat plenty of grass. Goslings and Ducklings don't get their body and wing feathers till they are four weeks old and until they should be put inside when it rains. To prevent spraddle legs in baby poultry use wood shavings etc. never put them on a slippery surface.

Goslings have a tendency to pick each other to the extent of baring their backs. When this happens give them more room and put clumps of grass (ground and all) in their pen. They will pick the grass instead of each other. If other breeds of poultry start picking each other to the extent of drawing blood, this is cannibalism and they must be debeaked. This can be done by cutting a small portion of the upper beak off with a toenail clipper. It can be done at any age.