Many people think they don't want to mess with the trouble of roosters and baby chicks, but when it's a lovely spring morning and you go out to gather eggs and find a little chick under a hen, it's a wonderful feeling. 

Raising your own chicks saves you money from having to go and buy your own chicks and it's really enjoyable to raise a bird from the very beginning. You can also purchase an incubator and hatch your own chicks from eggs, but you'll have to assume a less than 100% success rate. 

Chicks have only a few requirements, but thethese requirements are critical. Chicks can be fragile, especially in their first month, and your diligent care will be important in their upbringing. 

Incubation Options
It is possible to purchase eggs and incubate your own chicks. This can be done using either a broody hen or incubator. However, for first time chick owners, you'll likely find it easier to start with chicks that are approximately two weeks old. 

Broody hens
This is a wonderful gift if you have one. Bantam silkies or silky crosses typically make wonderful broody hens. If you have the option, this is a more natural and fun route. When the chick does hatch under the hen, allow them a few hours together and then you may wish to remove the chick the the chick housing until it is large enough to be released with the other birds.

If you have an appropriate nesting box - not too high off the ground where the chicks can safely enter and exit, getting to water and feed and there is no danger of being injured by other birds in the coop, you may wish to leave your chicks with the hen. The downside of this is that if the hen is still sitting on a number of eggs, her attention will get split between her live babies and the remaining eggs and there is a good chance some of the remaining eggs will get abandoned - another reason you may want to remove the burden of caring for the chicks from the hen.

Incubators
If you decide to use an incubator, it is recommended that the first time you use it, you operate the incubator with a small quantity of inexpensive eggs to be assured of your operating procedure and the performance of the incubator, before attempting to hatch large quantities of eggs or expensive eggs. 

You can purchase an incubator or build your own. There are many different incubators on the market. Look online at your options and select carefully. The least expensive ones sometimes have reviews that contain statements saying they are not very reliable in terms of temperature control and turning the eggs. 

Be sure to carefully follow the instructions that come with your incubator. 

An incubator or brooder is designed to bring normal room temperature to the desired temperature. Be sure to use a thermometer in the incubator to ensure you know the exact temperature. The thermometer will always be sitting on the wire floor of the incubator. In a still air incubator, the closer you get to the top of the incubator, the higher the actual temperature. Room temperatures of 60 degrees F or below will reduce the temperature in the incubator. Room temperature changes of 10 degrees or more will change the temperature in the incubator. The change is more pronounced below a temperature of 70 degrees F.

An important requirement for chicks is they be kept in a place where you can tightly control the temperature to the required degrees and keep them free from drafts. 

1. Housing: Although baby chicks can be kept in almost anything until they can fly, the recommendation is a fairly large water  trough. Be sure to keep it out of drafts, but where the birds have plenty of ventilation. With even a few birds, a large trough allow the birds to move towards and away from the heat as they need. If the birds can't escape the heat from a heat lamp they can either die from over-heating, drown in their waterer in an attempt to find a cooler location or get crushed by the other chicks in their attempt to get away from the heat. For the size, allow 2 square feet for standard breeds. Bantams can work with slightly less than that as they mature faster and likely will need to be moved out to the coop at about 3 weeks of age versus the typical 4 weeks for standard sized breeds. You'll want a trough that you can easily clean, is durable and won't melt (meaning your plastic filing box from the local discount store is not likely the best choice).

2. Heat lamp. Baby birds are cold blooded and can't keep themselves warm. Over the first few weeks of their lives, the birds become warm blooded and can regulate their body temperature. Make sure the heat lamp well secured over the housing so it doesn't fall in with the birds. You don't necessarily need a heat lamp bulb in the lamp, but the key is the termperature that the brooder needs to be kept at. A regular high wattage bulb will work fine if it can reach the correct temperatures. In their first week, chicks need to be kept at 95 degrees and the temperature will be decreased by 5 degrees per week. . Be sure to check on the chicks frequently as bulbs do burn out. For more on temperature, please see below. 

3. Thermometer: It's not worth guessing. Keep the thermometer in the brooder. Observing the chicks behavior will tell you if they are comfortable, but it's good to know the exact numbers and if adjustments are required. 

4. Waterer.  Chicks must have access to fresh water at all times. A small plastic one with some marbles in it works well.  Putting in a larger one is okay, but because the chicks will likely throw their food into the waterer, much of it will have to get dumped out on a daily basis anyhow.

5. Food dish: Some stores will sell you small tin dishes with covers so only the smaller birds heads' will fit. However, ambitious larger birds have been found with their heads stuck in the covers, so until the chicks no longer need chick feed, the recommendation is to keep them separated from the larger birds. The birds are inevitably going to get excrement into their food. The special function dishes will help some. A small dog dish or bowl will also work. Yes, the birds will make a mess in it and throw it out, so you'll need to keep on top of the food and cleaning situation. 

6. Flooring - pine shavings are the easiest to use and most absorbent. You can also use earth or very fine gravel that you can wash. However, you'll want something that the birds don't slip on and can be easily cleaned. Sheets of newspaper are not recommended as the birds can injure their feet and legs. Cedar shavings are not recommended because of the additives.

1. Temperature requirements: in their first week, chicks should be kept at least at 95 degrees and the heat can be decreased approximately 5 degrees per week. 

However, if you are raising your own bird either via an incubator or with a broody hen, they will not typically all conveniently hatch in the same day, week, or even month unless you are manipulating the cycles, so it's best to stay with the 95 degrees, but allow a large enough space that the birds can move closer to the light or away from the light as their personal needs dictate. Again, this is why you'll want to have a fairly large nursery. 

Pay attention to how  the chicks behave. If they're all crowded together directly under the heat source, they're cold. Lower the heat lamp or add another one. If they're around the edges of the brooder, avoiding the heat and each other,they're too hot!.Raise the heat lamp. When comfortable they will move about in all areas of the brooder. 

2. Water: remember the chicks must always have access to fresh water. Always make sure the waterers are clean and full, this can't be stated strongly enough. Birds can't' store much water in their bodies, so don't put off cleaning and refilling waterers till later when they may run out. 

3. Food: chick "Starter feed" is recommended. Feed suppliers have formulated special feed complete with everything baby chicks need and comes in either crumbles or mash.  If you've had your chicks vaccinated, they need unmedicated feed, if not, use the medicated. Be aware that some medicated feed can inhibit the digestion of thiamine and vitamin B, so you may want to consider a vitamin supplement. A layer breed of chick matures between 4 and 6 months old and will eat about 2 pounds of starter feed in its first 6 weeks of life.