THE DAY 300 CHICKS ARRIVED… AND THE FARMER WASN'T READY FOR THEM 🐥

THE DAY 300 CHICKS ARRIVED… AND THE FARMER WASN'T READY FOR THEM 🐥The cartons arrived at 7:40 AM.Three hundred day-old chicks.The farmer was excited. Everyone was taking pictures.But when we entered the brooding area, I noticed something worrying.The chicks had arrived.The house was still being prepared.The drinkers were not fully arranged.The heat source had just been switched on.The litter had not settled.And there was no proper plan for checking the chicks as they arrived.That day reminded me of a simple truth:Buying chicks is not the same as preparing for chicks.The first hours and days are important, so preparation should happen before the birds arrive.6 THINGS TO PREPARE BEFORE YOUR DAY-OLD CHICKS ARRIVE1. CLEAN AND PREPARE THE HOUSE EARLYRemove old litter and thoroughly clean the poultry house according to good biosecurity practices.Allow enough time for the house to dry and prepare it properly before the new chicks arrive.Don't rush the entire process on the morning the chicks are coming.2. CHECK YOUR HEAT SOURCEDay-old chicks need an appropriate brooding environment.But don't rely only on the thermometer.Watch the chicks too.If chicks crowd tightly together, the environment may be too cold.If they stay far away from the heat source and appear uncomfortable, the environment may be too hot.Comfortable chicks are generally more evenly distributed.Always consider ventilation as well—heat without proper air quality can create other problems.3. PREPARE CLEAN WATER BEFORE ARRIVALThe drinkers should already be clean, filled and working before the chicks enter.Don't wait until the chicks are inside before looking for water.Check that the drinking points are accessible to small birds.4. PREPARE THE FEEDUse an appropriate starter feed recommended for the type and age of chicks you're raising.Keep feed fresh, dry and protected from contamination.Don't buy chicks first and begin searching for feed later.5. CHECK THE LITTERGood litter management starts before the chicks arrive.The floor should be prepared with clean, dry, suitable litter material.Avoid wet or mouldy bedding.Monitor litter regularly because moisture can create management and health problems.6. HAVE A SIMPLE ARRIVAL CHECKLISTWhen the chicks arrive, check the general condition of the birds and document the delivery.Record things like:🐥 Number received🐥 Date and time🐥 Source🐥 Condition on arrival🐥 Any birds that appear weak or abnormalIf you have concerns about chick quality or health, contact the hatchery and consult a veterinarian or qualified livestock extension officer.HERE'S WHAT I LEARNED THE HARD WAYA farmer can spend days planning to buy chicks…Then spend only 30 minutes preparing the house.That is backwards.The farm should be ready before the chicks arrive.Not the other way around.As we say in Nigeria, “You don't start digging the well after the house catches fire.” 😄Preparation may not look exciting on Facebook.Nobody wants to take a selfie with an empty brooder.But proper preparation can make the first few days easier to manage.So before your next batch arrives, ask yourself:If the chicks arrive one hour earlier than expected, is my farm ready?If the answer is no, keep preparing.For practical farming education, Farming Tech & Business is a free home where farmers, tech people and business people learn, connect and earn. Since today's topic is about learning, our Tribes & trainings can help you connect with others and keep improving your farming knowledge.Join free: farming-tech.vercel.app#FarmingTechAndBusiness #PoultryFarming #DayOldChicks #Brooding #ChickenFarming

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