Chicks
Chick Care Week by Week: A Brooder Checklist for the First 8 Weeks
Chicks cannot regulate their own body temperature for their first few weeks (University of New Hampshire Extension), so the brooder does it for them. This checklist lines up what extension services say chicks need at each age — heat, space, feed and water — from setup until the heat comes off at about 8 weeks.
Before the chicks arrive
- Source. Missouri Extension recommends a hatchery in the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP).
- Clean early. If the brooder area has been used before, Penn State says to clean and disinfect it at least two weeks ahead to dry.
- Set up and run the heat in advance. Penn State says at least 48 hours before arrival so floor and litter warm up; UNH says test the brooder at least one day ahead; Missouri says run brooder heat for at least 24 hours.
- Litter. Penn State uses 2–3 inches of clean, dry litter; Missouri 3–4 inches (pine shavings, rice hulls, peanut shells or ground corncobs) and warns against hardwood shavings, which can grow mold. UF/IFAS says avoid cedar.
- No slick floors. Missouri: never house chicks on smooth surfaces such as flat cardboard or newspaper. For the first week, burlap, cheesecloth or paper towels over the litter help chicks tell feed from litter (Penn State); Missouri uses rough, crinkled paper and replaces it before it molds, after three or four days.
- Draft guard. UF/IFAS calls for brooder walls or a draft shield at least 12–18 inches tall; Missouri uses a 12-inch guard in a 6-foot circle for about 50 chicks.
- Fill waterers early so the water is at room temperature when chicks arrive (Penn State).
- Heat lamp safety. Hang lamps by chain, at least 20 inches from flammable material (Penn State). See heat lamps and fire risk before plugging one in.
Day one
- Get chicks into the warm brooder as soon as possible. Chicks can live on their yolk for about 72 hours, but Penn State says ideally they reach feed and water within 24 hours of hatching.
- Dip each chick's beak in the water so it learns where the drinker is (Penn State, UNH, UF/IFAS).
- Scatter the first starter feed on paper, an egg-carton lid or a shallow dish; move to a feeder once chicks are eating (UF/IFAS, UNH, Penn State).
- Put feeders near the heat but not directly under it (Penn State), and arrange feeders and waterers like spokes of a wheel so every chick can eat and drink at once (UNH).
- Watch for about an hour to confirm chicks are drinking and eating, and adjust the heat to their behavior (UF/IFAS). Penn State says crops should be full by the second day.
Week-by-week brooder table
| Age | Temp at chick level | Floor space per chick | Feeder / waterer space per chick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 92–95°F | ¼ sq ft | 1 in / ½ in |
| Weeks 2–3 | 85–90°F | ½ sq ft | 1½ in / ½ in |
| Weeks 3–5 | 80–85°F | ¾ sq ft | 2 in / ½ in |
| Weeks 5–8 | 70–80°F | 1 sq ft | 2 in / ¾ in |
| 8 weeks + | Room temperature | 1½ sq ft, more for large breeds | 3 in / 1 in |
Temperature and space columns as published by Penn State Extension ("Brooding of Domestic Fowl"), which says to start at 95°F at chick level, directly under the heat source, and lower it 5°F per week until the normal daily temperature of 62–65°F is reached. UNH gives 90–95°F in week one, measured 2.5 inches above the litter; Missouri starts at 95°F in cold weather and 90°F otherwise. UF/IFAS and Missouri give ½ square foot per chick early on, and Missouri 1 square foot from 4 to 8 weeks.
Checklist by week
- Week 1: paper over the litter; check temperature at chick level twice a day (Missouri); remove the chick guard after about a week (UNH, Missouri).
- Weeks 2–3: lower the heat about 5°F a week; swap in larger feeders and waterers set at back height (Penn State).
- Weeks 3–5: add roosts for future layers at 4–6 weeks, 4 inches per chick (Missouri).
- Weeks 5–8: keep heat until chicks are well feathered (Missouri); starter gives way to grower or developer around 6–8 weeks.
- 8 weeks +: plan adult coop space before the move.
- Week 1: 92–95°F at chick level, ¼ square foot per chick.
- Weeks 2–3: 85–90°F, ½ square foot.
- Weeks 3–5: 80–85°F, ¾ square foot.
- Weeks 5–8: 70–80°F, 1 square foot.
- 8 weeks and older: room temperature (Penn State's normal daily temperature of 62–65°F, dashed lines), 1½ square feet or more for larger breeds.
Read the chicks
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Huddled under the heat | Too cold | Lower the lamp or add heat |
| As far from the heat as possible; panting or gasping at the guard ring (Missouri) | Too hot | Raise the lamp or reduce heat |
| Crowded to one side or away from a draft | Draft | Block the draft; check guard height |
| Spread evenly, peeping, eating and drinking | Comfortable | Keep the schedule |
Behavior signs from Penn State, UNH, UF/IFAS and Missouri Extension. Missouri sets heat lamps about 18 inches above the chicks in week one and raises them about 3 inches a week, adjusting by chick behavior, not air temperature alone.
Feed and water
- Starter feed: 18–20% protein (Penn State); about 20% crude protein and usually medicated (UF/IFAS). Keep fresh feed available at all times.
- No layer feed for chicks. Penn State warns its calcium level can damage young birds' kidneys. UF/IFAS also says not to feed three-grain scratch or ground corn, and Missouri says not to dilute complete feed with grain or table scraps.
- Switching: UF/IFAS gives chick starter for 6–8 weeks; Missouri feeds egg-type chicks starter to 6 weeks, then a pullet developer. The full schedule to layer feed is in feeding laying hens.
- Water: Penn State plans one quart of water per 25 chicks; Missouri uses six 1-quart waterers per 100 chicks in week one and two 2-gallon waterers from 1 to 4 weeks. Clean and refill daily with cool, not cold, water. For bantams, Penn State puts marbles or pebbles in the tray so chicks cannot fall in.
- Light: Missouri keeps one 15-watt bulb per 200 square feet on at night in the first week, and no more than 14 hours of total light a day through brooding and growing.
Health basics
Penn State says egg-type chickens should be vaccinated for Marek's disease at the hatchery, so ask when you order. It also advises a diagnostic-lab diagnosis for any deaths before giving medicine. For sick chicks, contact a veterinarian or your county extension office.
The CDC notes that outbreaks of Salmonella linked to backyard poultry are common, and that poultry can appear healthy and clean but still spread germs that make people sick. Its backyard poultry guidance:
- Wash your hands with soap and running water after touching poultry or anything in their area; adults should supervise young children's handwashing.
- Don't let children younger than 5 handle or touch chicks.
- Don't kiss or snuggle the birds and then touch your face or mouth.
- Don't let poultry inside the house, especially where food or drinks are prepared, served or stored — this matters for indoor brooders.
- Clean brooder equipment outdoors, and keep a pair of poultry-care shoes outside the house.
When the heat comes off
UNH says the brooder can be removed once the temperature under it reaches 65–70°F or matches the outside temperature. Missouri says to keep providing heat until chicks are well feathered, because removing it too early makes respiratory problems more likely; in winter, heat may continue for six weeks just to keep waterers from freezing. Penn State's schedule reaches room temperature at 8 weeks. Plan the move to the coop with adult space in mind — the coop space calculator works it out per bird.