BONUS CONTENT: The Importance of Early Feeding and Monitoring Crop Fill in Chicks

This bonus episode of the Poultry Keepers Podcast focuses on the importance of early feeding in chicks and how to monitor their feeding success through crop fill. It explains the necessity of ensuring chicks start eating and drinking immediately after hatching to support growth, immune function, and reduce mortality. The show outlines how to monitor crop fill, tips for addressing feeding issues, and the long-term benefits of this practice. The recording aims to educate poultry keepers on improving chick care and flock management for healthier and more productive birds.

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Transcript

Alex: 0:00

Welcome to this special bonus content for the Poultry Keepers Podcast. Today, we’re discussing one of the most important steps in raising healthy chicks: ensuring they begin eating and drinking immediately, and how to monitor that using crop fill. Whether you raise backyard chickens, homestead flocks, or small-scale poultry for breeding, this early feeding period can shape the success of your birds for life. Why Does Early Feeding Matter? While chicks hatch with some yolk reserves, those nutrients only last a short time. Chicks should begin eating and drinking within hours of entering the brooder. If feeding is delayed or if a chick fails to start eating, it can result in poor early growth, a weakened immune system, and, unfortunately, an increased risk of mortality due to starvation or failure to thrive. Starting chicks off right by encouraging early feeding helps support steady growth, healthy feather development, immune function, and reduces early mortality. Understanding the chick’s Crop and Its Importance. The crop is a small pouch at the base of the neck where food is stored before digestion. It’s one of the best indicators of whether chicks are eating successfully. A properly functioning crop shows that the chick is eating, regulates how feed moves into the digestive system, and allows you as the keeper to easily assess feed consumption. Monitoring crop fill gives you important insight into feeding success. How Do You Monitor Crop Fill? Within two to four hours, gently feel the crop on a few chicks. A filled crop will feel soft and rounded, usually noticeable on the right side of the neck. If the crop is empty, it’s difficult to feel much of anything. Your goal is for at least ninety-five percent of chicks to have full crops by four to six hours after placement. By twenty-four hours, nearly all chicks should show crop fill. For the first forty-eight hours, check crop fill two or three times daily. This can help you spot chicks that are not eating or identify management problems like feed access, temperature issues, or overcrowding. It’s Important to Address Problems Promptly. If chicks are not showing proper crop fill: First, confirm that feed and water are easy to reach and are available in multiple locations in the brooder. Check that the brooder is warm enough, but not too hot. Make sure nothing is preventing chicks from accessing the feeders and waterers. For weak or slow-starting chicks, frequently seen in chicks that have been shipped, consider providing vitamins or electrolytes. It’s important to encourage early feeding by, Using bright lighting for the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Scattering a small amount of feed on clean brooder paper to stimulate pecking. Dipping each chick’s beak in water when you place them in the brooder. Providing a high-quality chick starter feed suited for their purpose—whether that’s layers, broilers, or dual-purpose breeds. What are the Long-Term Benefits of Monitoring Crop Fill? By ensuring chicks start eating promptly and checking crop fill consistently, you promote even growth, reduce mortality, and catch potential problems early. This simple, hands-on practice can improve your flock’s overall health and productivity throughout their lives. For more expert advice on chick care, flock management, and poultry nutrition, listen to The Poultry Keepers Podcast. Visit w w w dot, the poultry keepers podcast, dot com for episodes, resources, and bonus content to help you raise healthier, more productive birds. The purpose of this recording is to educate and provide valuable information to help you enhance your poultry knowledge and skills. This is not intended to persuade you to adopt or abandon specific practices, but rather to encourage thoughtful consideration of poultry-keeping methods that you may not have previously explored. Each flock is unique, and the ultimate decisions about what is best for your birds should be made based on your specific circumstances and goals. This information supports informed decision-making, empowering you to make the best choices for your flock. Thanks for listening, and please subscribe to this podcast so you’ll get all our future updates.