6 Signs of a Healthy Day-Old Layer Chick (DOC) to Buy

Quality stock is essential to a successful poultry farm, whether you raise broilers, layers (egg-laying hens), native chickens or other breeds. That is why the most important step in poultry farming is choosing quality DOC (day-old chicks). Good chicks can withstand environmental pressures that would otherwise stress them and make them stop eating. For layers in particular, poor-quality DOC leads to lower egg production and smaller eggs. Customers will then complain about why the eggs they bought are so small. To avoid this, choose quality DOC and use good, correct methods of raising chickens. Here are the signs of quality layer chicks that you must check:

Clear Eyes

Checking the eyes is one of the ways to detect an animal's health. This is true not only for chickens but also for fish, cats and more. If a chick's eyes are cloudy and keep watering, you can be sure it has a health problem. Many poultry diseases show up as constantly watery eyes. So do not choose chicks whose eyes are not clear.

Stands Upright

The next sign of a quality layer DOC is the ability to stand upright. A sick chick will not be able to stand firmly. A weak body and leg problems can both keep a chick from standing upright. DOC is usually sold by the box, so you can inspect the chicks one by one and check whether any are defective. If you find any, you can ask the seller to replace them.

Symmetrical Wings and Thighs

Another sign of a quality DOC is the condition of its wings and thighs. A normal, healthy chicken has wings and thighs that are symmetrical, meaning both sides match. In an unhealthy chick, the wings droop downward while the thighs angle away from the body, so the chick walks with a limp.

Read also: 3 Essential Ways for Beginners to Raise Broiler Chickens

Active

A healthy chick can run or walk briskly. A sick layer chick, by contrast, will not be lively or quick. Most will sit still in one corner of the cage with their eyes closed. If you buy DOC and find chicks like this, separate them from the healthy ones right away, because the illness can spread quickly to the others.

Thick, Glossy Feathers

A quality DOC has thick, glossy feathers. If a chick's feathers are sparse and dull, it will catch diseases easily because few feathers protect its body.

Loud Chirp

A quality layer DOC has a loud chirp. If the sound is weak, the chick is considered defective. Defective chicks reduce productivity.

Choosing chicks is not something to do carelessly. The better the quality of the stock, the better the quality of the eggs produced. Many layer farmers have suffered losses, so you should be careful when choosing your chicks. When you pick layer DOC, make sure all the signs above are present in the chicks you buy.

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