How to check day-old chick quality?

Getting off to a good start with a new flock needs good preparation, but it is also dependent on the quality of the day-old chicks arriving from the hatchery. A good assessment of this quality is essential to be able to estimate what you can get out of the flock and what extra actions can be taken. For that it is good practice to: Pick up chicks from various trays upon arrival on farm for a proper assessment all around Weigh 5% of the chicken trays for a good idea of the initial weight of the