Healthy chicks, healthy flocks: Best practices for sprint poultry setups

March is here! Spring is well on its way, and summer will be here before we know it.

I was at the feed store the other day, and one of the best times of the year had arrived — chick days! Baby chicks were chirping throughout the store, looking for their new homes.

Interest in small, backyard flocks continues to rise as they provide fresh eggs, natural pest control and can be low-maintenance pets. They are a great project for young children to help them learn responsibility, and baby chicks are nothing short of cute!

Starting your backyard flock is not difficult, but it does require some short- and long-term preparation as they live around 5-10 years. From feed to daily coop and flock upkeep, chickens need consistent attention.

The New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service provides evidence-based recommendations to help new and experienced poultry owners get started on the right track.

When starting your flock, you should consider whether you are going to purchase day-old chicks or pullets. Pullets are young hens that are 6–20 weeks old. They have some advantages, as you will not have as much feed invested in them, and they will be closer to egg-laying age, which is 20–24 weeks. Chicks are younger and require longer care, but they are typically cheaper to purchase compared to pullets.

Chicks are vulnerable in their first weeks of life and will be reliant on their environment for warmth and protection. They need to stay warm and dry.

This can be provided by a brooder (a tall feed trough or old waterer) with a heat lamp safely secured to avoid fires. A tip for warmth regulation: if the chicks are huddled directly under the lamp, they are too cold; if they are huddled away from the lamp, it is too hot; and if they are evenly dispersed, the temperature is just right. Once they grow older, you may need chicken wire on top of the brooder to keep them from hopping out.

Chicks need to be kept in a brooder that is large enough to prevent overcrowding, has good airflow, protects them against pets and predators and contains clean, dry shavings. They also need clean, fresh water daily and should be fed chick starter feed.

Your local feed store can help you select the right feed for your birds. Feed will change as your birds grow and their energy and vitamin demands shift. Get the correct feed for the age and type of chickens you are feeding.

Starter feed is fed until about 8 weeks of age. Egg-laying breeds differ from meat birds and should not be fed meat-bird starter due to differences in protein content. Teenage birds (8–20 weeks) need to be on a growing mash or crumbles.

Around 20-24 weeks, you will be feeding laying hens. Feed should be changed to a laying ration, which contains calcium for egg production. This supports healthy egg formation and bone health. A complete ration is the simplest way to feed as it provides everything the chicken needs nutrition wise and is considered a balanced diet. Simply follow the directions on the label.

Check your local zoning and permitting/HOA rules to be sure you can keep a flock and to determine whether there are limits on flock size.

Chickens lay about one egg per day, which can help you calculate how many birds you need. Chickens are flock animals, so they should be purchased in groups. A good start for a family could be around 12 chicks, keeping about three layers per household member to provide an egg per person each day.

You may have heard of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), an illness that is a highly contagious flu typically found in birds, though certain strains can infect humans, cats, and other wild or domestic animals. According to the USDA, wild birds can carry HPAI and introduce the disease to new areas during migration through their droppings, feathers, saliva, and respiratory secretions.

Contact with these secretions — either directly or through humans or other animals — can also contribute to infections. This can expose domestic poultry to the virus. Unfortunately, a detection was confirmed in New Mexico in February of this year.

The NMDA reports that common signs of HPAI in poultry include sudden death, decreased food and water consumption, lethargy, respiratory distress, nasal discharge, purple discoloration or swelling around the legs and head, a drop in egg production, and/or diarrhea. There is no cure and infected birds often die suddenly.

Keep your birds protected by preventing wild birds and rodents from entering the coop area; restricting visitors and other poultry owners from accessing your coop; washing hands and scrubbing shoes before and after entering the coop; avoiding the mixing of animal types, as waterfowl can spread HPAI without showing symptoms; and isolating new birds or those returning from shows (if applicable) for 30 days before reintroducing them to your flock.

If you suspect you have a bird sick with HPAI, immediately consult your veterinarian and state animal health official. Wear protective gear when handling birds, and do not handle sick or dead birds if you are immunocompromised.

Stop movement and do not move birds, eggs or equipment, and avoid visiting other farms to prevent the disease from spreading. For more information on poultry production and HPAI, contact the Valencia County CES.

Program announcements

To register for an upcoming program or to join our Valencia County Extension Newsletter, call the Valencia County Cooperative Extension Service at 505-565-3002. For more information, visit valenciaextension.nmsu.edu.

Join our newsletter! Call the office and provide your email address to receive monthly updates and programming opportunities from the Valencia County Cooperative Extension Service. Call 505-565-3002.

• Fruit Tree Pruning Workshops: From 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Tuesday-Wednesday, March 17-18, at the Los Lunas Agricultural Science Center, 1036 Miller Road Los Lunas.

Learn about fruit tree pruning methods and gain valuable hands-on experience in a 20-year-old apple orchard with Dr. Marisa Thompson, Extension Urban Horticulture Specialist and Willie Sommers, Urban Agriculture Program Manager. To register or for more information email wsommers@nmsu.edu.

• Spring Fun for Kids: From 1:30-3:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 18, at the Valencia County Cooperative Extension Service Office, at 404 Courthouse Road, Los Lunas.

Celebrate spring break with a buzzing afternoon of discovery! This bee-themed class introduces children to the fascinating world of pollinators through engaging activities, creative crafts, and interactive learning. This is a free workshop, but space is limited. Call the Valencia County CES Office to register at 505-565-3002 by Wednesday, March 12.

• Tips for a Successful Farmers Market Workshop: From 5:30-7 p.m., Thursday March 26, at the Valencia County Cooperative Extension Service Office, 404 Courthouse Road, Los Lunas. Join us for a free Annie’s Inspired program offering information about marketing, selling and effective customer engagement for Valencia County Farmers Markets. RSVP by calling the office at 505-565-3002 by March 23. Contact Sierra Cain for more information.

• Healthy Hands, Happy Heart: From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Wednesday, April 1, at the Rio Communities Maker’s Space, 360 Rio Communities Blvd.

Come discover the fun of making a Beaded Leaf Plant at the Rio Communities Community Maker’s Space. This program is part of a series, designed to encourage community well-being through simple, hands-on activities that help participants keep their hands active and their minds engaged. This is a free workshop, but space is limited. Call the Valencia County CES Office to register at 505-565-3002 by Friday, March 27.

• Jammin’ with Rhubarb: From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Monday, April 6, at the Valencia County Cooperative Extension Service Office, 404 Courthouse Road, Los Lunas.

Jammin’ with Rhubarb is a fun, interactive class. We will transform fresh rhubarb into delicious homemade jam while learning simple preserving techniques. Perfect for beginners, this class ends with you getting to pick up a jar of your creation the next day. This workshop has a fee of $5. Call the Valencia County CES Office to register at 505-565-3002 by Tuesday, March 31.

• ICAN-Ideas for Cooking and Nutrition series at the YDI Office, 428 Los Lentes Road SE, Los Lunas, at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 8.

• The Valencia County Seed Library: Looking for FREE seeds? The seed library is open! Check out seed packets for your garden. To obtain seeds, you can schedule an appointment with Sierra Cain at sierragh@nmsu.edu or 505-565-3002. Thank you to the Valencia County Master Gardeners for help in sorting and placement of seeds for the library.

• Agriculture School Enrichment Programs: School is back in action. Spring programs related to the science of agriculture are offered in the classroom to elementary and middle school-aged students. Egg to Chick is open, but extremely limited. Contact Sierra Cain for program offerings and scheduling at sierragh@nmsu.edu or 505-565-3002.

• Family and Consumer Science Community and School Enrichment Programs: School enrichment programs offer hands-on learning in areas such as food safety, nutrition, personal finance, and life skills. Educators can contact Crystal Garcia-Anaya at anayacry@nmsu.edu or 505-565-3002.

If you are an individual with a disability who requires auxiliary aid or service to participate in a program, contact the Valencia County Cooperative Extension Service Office at 505-565-3002.