~ Poultry Care ~

Here are a few helpful hints to get you started on your poultry when they arrive.

1. Cover the floor of your pen with straw & cover the straw with newspapers for the next 2 days. (Just use straw for geese, newspapers are too slippery for their legs).

2. Use heat bulb. Keep the poultry about 85 to 90 degrees, just so they are moving around comfortably. (Piling together means they are too cold).

3. Use fruit jar waterers for the first week (25 chicks per water). Have the water just so the chill is out of it. Use Vitamins & Electrolytes in the water. Table sugar will work if you don't have the electrolytes. Be sure & dip each beak in the water! Don't let poultry get wet. Ducks and goslings don't know how to swim until they are feathered out.

4. Use non-medicated feed on ducks & goslings. A mash feed is good to use. They start eating it quicker than crumbles.
*2 foot feeders for each 25 chicks.
*Sprinkle feed on newspapers for the chicks to find easier.

5. Check your poultry several times the first couple of days.

If you have any questions, give us a call, 563-682-7865 or
e-mail: poultry@schlechthatchery.com

If You Are Needing Them...Yes, We Can Provide!
VITAMINS & ELECTROLYTES
Putting packets under the chick box pads when chicks are shipped! The very rapid growth of the Cornish-Rock broiler makes it imperative that you provide it with a 20-22% protein ration; this starter should carry right at 1400 calories - the feed must be medicated with Coccidiostat!

IN ADDITION...

It suggests that you consider putting antibiotics in the water the first 3 or 4 days after chicks arrive (this is for shipping and delivery stress); and that you consider adding additional vitamins and minerals to their ration. These addidions are best made through water! There are a number of good products for adding the above to the water. One that we use is Salsbury's VITAMINS & ELECTROLYTES! And we can provide packets of these to you, shipped in the boxes with the chicks..or..if you would like shipment made to you in separate carton, we can do that as well!
YOUR COST $3.50 per packet
A really good product - I recommend it to get your poultry off to a good start - Etta

POULTRY WAX
This wax is most commonly used for removing pinfeathers off your poultry. It really works on those hard to pick ducks and geese.

This product is a fully refined paraffin & microcrystalline wax blend with a medium melt point. It comes in beads for easier and faster melting. A good ration is 25% wax and 75% water. Application instructions come with wax.

5 lbs. - $12 / 10 lbs. - $24

Call if ordering more than 10 lbs. A flat rate of $6 is applied for postage.