by Kristina Mercedes Urquhart

Timing is a critical piece in the puzzle of life. That’s never clearer than when we incubate, brood and raise young chicks. Nothing quite prepares you for the speed at which they grow; within 21 days, a simple fertile egg produces a living chick. Four weeks from hatching, they have real feathers and lots of sass. Twelve weeks further on, some breeds are sexually mature and might be laying their own eggs. Getting all the elements set up and in proper order for beginning this cycle is paramount. Let’s examine some of the other key points you need to know as you embark on raising chicks of your own.

1.Time It Right

Incubating and brooding chicks requires special timing and climatic circumstances. There’s a reason “spring chicks” are the cliché: The weather is neither too hot nor too cold to either ship fertile eggs or chicks, and by the time the birds are fully feathered — four to five weeks from hatching — the weather is warm enough for them to be outdoors without

a heater.

These are important factors to consider when you purchase your fertile eggs. The remedy is simple: Do the math. Find your last frost date in your area and count backward four to five weeks, taking into account the distinct seasonal tendencies of the region where you live. Outdoor temperatures should be about 55 degrees Fahrenheit at the coldest by the time your chicks are moved outside.