Our First Three Weeks with Baby Chicks

Three weeks ago, my daughters and I went to the post office to pick up our three baby chicks. Of course, we had to give them names: Houdini, Misty, and Tina.

Having experience raising chicks last year made setting everything up much easier. However, these chicks have come with their own special challenges that are very different from my first flock.

Within the first week, one of my chicks developed a digestive issue called Pasty Butt. Another challenge we’ve faced is the chicks escaping from their brooder and leaving little surprises all over my carpet! A quick note to new chick owners: make sure your chicks are securely contained before leaving the room.

What Is Pasty Butt?

You may be wondering, What exactly is Pasty Butt?

Pasty Butt occurs when droppings build up around a chick’s vent, preventing them from passing waste normally. You can usually identify it by seeing a hard ball of dried droppings stuck to the chick’s backside.

Thankfully, it is usually easy to treat. Fill a shallow container with warm water and gently soak the chick’s bottom. Make sure the affected area is submerged so the dried droppings can soften and fall away naturally.

Important: Do not pull the dried droppings off. Doing so can injure the chick’s delicate skin.

Once the blockage is gone, gently dry the chick with a soft cloth. I used a baby washcloth and let my daughter hold the chick for a little while to help keep her warm before returning her to the brooder near the heater.

I’ve also been told to keep a close eye on chicks after reintroducing them to the brooder. This helps ensure they are warming up properly and that the other chicks aren’t pecking at the affected area. Fortunately, I didn’t have any issues with that.

The Great Chick Escape

Now for the story of how my chicks escaped.

Our spare room has served many purposes over the years—a guest room, playroom, homeschool room, and now a temporary chick room.

For a brooder, I use an old dog kennel that my dog only used once before deciding she hated it. During the first few weeks, I left the top of the kennel open and used sections of an old baby playpen to create a door.

One day, after putting the door back on, I accidentally left a small gap. Apparently, that tiny opening was all my chicks needed.

Five hours later, I went into the room to clean the brooder before starting the kids’ bedtime routine. That’s when I discovered that the chicks had escaped—and there was poop everywhere!

To make matters worse, we had completely run out of carpet cleaner. My husband had to make a quick trip to the store while I bathed the kids and got them ready for bed.

It was frustrating, exhausting, and definitely not how I planned to spend my evening. But we survived!

Needless to say, if you’re using a homemade brooder setup, double-check that there are no gaps where curious chicks can squeeze through. Also, make sure your brooder is tall enough to prevent them from flying out as they grow. Since the great escape, I’ve put the dog kennel top back on their brooder.

What’s Next?

I hope you’ll stick around and follow along on our chick-raising journey. If the weather cooperates, I’m hoping to start taking them outside for short supervised field trips next week.

And if you’re thinking about becoming a chick owner yourself, I hope this story doesn’t scare you away! Raising chicks is incredibly rewarding, even with the occasional mess and unexpected adventure.

If you’d like to learn more about raising baby chicks, visit my Etsy shop, Homestead Discovery, and check out my Tips to Raising Chicks. As a bonus, I’ve also included a helpful checklist of everything you’ll need to keep your baby chicks comfortable and healthy when you bring them home.