In an apparatus for raising chickens from hatchlings including a barn having a floor and walls there is provided a plurality of rows of feed stations arranged at spaced positions across the floor each with a feed supply line connected along the row for dispensing feed to each of the feed stations and a plurality of rows of water supply stations each with a water supply line connected along the row for dispensing water to each of the water supply stations where rows of stations are connected to a lift system for raising the stations from the floor. A first strip of biodegradable paper sheet is unrolled along the floor of the barn underneath the row of feed stations and a second strip of biodegradable paper sheet unrolled along the floor of the barn underneath the row of water supply stations where the biodegradable paper is colored with a color selected to be attractive to hatchlings, typically red.