Baby chicks are tougher than they look in some ways and surprisingly fragile in others. They can spend half the morning scratching at bedding and then get chilled quickly if the brooder is too cold or drafty.
If the brooder is warm before the chicks arrive, starter feed is already in place, and the water is easy to find, most of the daily work comes down to watching them. Their behavior tells you a lot.
This guide follows chicks from their first day through about 20 weeks. The timing will not be identical for every flock. A fast-growing hybrid, a large heritage breed, and chicks raised during a cold spring can all move through the stages a little differently.
For a closer look at brooder design and heat sources, you can also read our brooding chickens guide.
What Baby Chicks Actually Need
It is easy to overcomplicate chick care. You do not need to fill the brooder with supplements, treats, or special products. Start with the basics and get those right first.
- A clean brooder with a warm area and room to move away from the heat.
- Fresh chick starter suited to the type of chickens you are raising.
- Clean water in a shallow chick-safe drinker.
- Dry bedding that gives tiny feet good traction.
- Enough room for every chick to eat, drink, rest, and get out from under more dominant birds.
- A few minutes of observation several times a day.
That last point matters more than it sounds. A chick that is always off by itself, cannot reach the feeder, or keeps crying while the rest are settled may be telling you something is wrong before obvious illness appears.
Get the Brooder Ready Before the Chicks Arrive
Do not wait until the shipping box is in your hands to test the brooder. Set everything up first, switch on the heat, and give the area time to warm through.
If the space has held poultry before, remove the old litter and clean it properly. Wash the feeder and waterer, use a suitable disinfectant according to its label, and let the brooder dry before adding fresh bedding.
Penn State Extension recommends preparing the brooding area roughly 48 hours ahead of chick arrival. That is useful advice, especially in a garage, shed, or other place where the floor itself may be cold.
If you are buying chicks in the United States, choose a reputable hatchery or dealer. USDA’s National Poultry Improvement Plan, better known as NPIP, is worth checking because participating flocks and hatcheries are part of established poultry-health testing programs.
Ask what vaccinations were given before shipment. Marek’s vaccination is commonly handled at the hatchery. Other vaccines depend on where you live, what diseases are a concern locally, and how the flock will be managed.
I would not copy a fixed vaccination schedule from a general backyard article and start giving injections at home. A poultry veterinarian, diagnostic lab, or Extension poultry specialist can tell you what makes sense for your area.
A Brooder Does Not Have to Be Fancy
A large tub, stock tank, purpose-built brooder, or protected section of a small coop can all work. What matters is that it is secure, easy to clean, and large enough for the chicks to move around comfortably.
Put the heat source toward one side. That gives chicks a warm spot when they need it and a cooler place when they do not.
Brooder plates are convenient when they are sized correctly and used as directed. Heat lamps can work too, but they need more attention to fire safety. Secure the lamp independently rather than trusting the clamp, and keep hot bulbs well away from bedding, cardboard, wood, curtains, and anything else that can burn.
The brooder still needs fresh air. Good ventilation is different from a cold draft blowing directly over the chicks.
Brooder Temperature by Week
Use a thermometer at chick level near the warm area. Do not hang it high above them and assume the reading represents what they are feeling on the floor.
| Age | Warm area |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | About 92–95°F |
| Week 2 | About 87–90°F |
| Week 3 | About 82–85°F |
| Week 4 | About 77–80°F |
| Weeks 5–6 | Gradually reduce heat as feathering improves |
| After that | Often no extra heat once fully feathered and weather is suitable |
These numbers are a starting point, not something to chase minute by minute. I would rather see comfortable chicks spread around the brooder than a perfect thermometer reading with every bird piled under the lamp.
Let the Chicks Tell You How the Brooder Feels
Comfortable chicks are usually scattered around. Some will be eating, some sleeping, and others wandering back and forth between the warm and cool parts of the brooder.
When they are cold, they tend to bunch tightly near the heat and may peep loudly. If they are too hot, they move away from the heat source and may pant or lie stretched out.
A draft often pushes the whole group toward one side. Once you know these patterns, you can often spot a brooder problem before looking at the thermometer.
What to Do When Shipped Chicks Arrive
Take the chicks to the warm brooder as soon as you can. Look over the group while you unpack them. A healthy chick should be able to stand, move around, and respond to what is happening nearby.
Show a few chicks where the water is by lightly touching the tip of the beak to the surface. Do not dunk the head or nostrils. Once a few birds start drinking, the rest usually catch on quickly.
Feed should already be available. Chicks hatch with nutrients from the absorbed yolk, which helps them tolerate shipping, but that is not a reason to delay feed or water once they reach the brooder.
A weak chick may simply be chilled or dehydrated, but do not assume every weak bird needs a vitamin product. Persistent weakness, severe diarrhea, breathing trouble, neurologic signs, or several unexplained deaths deserve veterinary or diagnostic help.
Bedding: Dry and Grippy Beats Fancy
Chicks need footing they can grip. Plain newspaper is too slippery by itself and can contribute to leg problems.
For the first few days, paper towels over newspaper or over the main litter work well because they give traction and make droppings easy to see. Once the chicks are eating confidently, pine shavings or another absorbent poultry-safe bedding can take over.
Wet bedding is what you want to avoid. The area around the waterer usually gets dirty first, so check there whenever you walk past the brooder.
Our guide to pine shavings for chickens covers litter choices in more detail.
What Should Baby Chicks Eat?
Layer-type chicks should begin with chick starter. It is made for rapid early growth and is far more important than treats, kitchen scraps, or homemade extras.
Many feeding programs move growing pullets from starter to a grower or developer ration at around six weeks. Follow the label on the feed you are using because formulas are not identical.
Layer ration comes later, usually around 18–20 weeks or when laying begins. Do not give young chicks layer feed simply because you already have a bag for the adult hens. The calcium level is intended for birds producing eggs, not growing chicks.
Meat birds are different. Their growth rate and feeding program are not the same as those of future laying hens, so use feed made for the type of chicken you are raising.
Growing chicks should be able to reach feed throughout the day. If several chicks are always being pushed away, add another feeding spot rather than assuming they will catch up later.
There is no hurry to introduce treats. When older chicks do begin eating foods besides their complete ration, provide suitable insoluble poultry grit if they cannot find appropriate grit naturally.
Water Gets Dirty Faster Than You Expect
Fresh water should always be available. A shallow chick waterer is safer and much easier to keep usable than an open bowl.
During the first week, check it several times a day. Chicks can fill a clean drinker with shavings almost immediately after you set it down.
As they grow, you can raise the waterer slightly to keep more bedding out. Just make sure the smallest bird can still drink without stretching awkwardly.
A Few Problems Worth Watching Closely
Pasty Butt
Young chicks sometimes get dried droppings stuck around the vent. Check the rear end of each chick during the first week, especially after shipping or a period of chilling.
If the vent is blocked, clean it gently rather than pulling hard at dried material. Our pasty butt guide explains the cleanup step by step.
A Chick That Stays Off by Itself
First check the simple things. Is it warm enough? Can it reach the water? Is a larger chick blocking it from the feeder? Is its vent clear?
If the chick stays weak despite correcting the basics, or you see labored breathing, severe diarrhea, twisted neck, paralysis, swelling, or more than one sick bird, it is time to look for a diagnosis.
Overheating
Too much heat can be just as hard on chicks as too little. Panting, wings held away from the body, and avoiding the warm end of the brooder are signs to check the temperature and heat-source position.
When Can Chicks Go Outside?
There is no magic age that works in every climate. Feathering and weather matter more than the calendar.
Fully feathered chicks around five to six weeks old can often spend much more time outside when the weather is mild. A cold wet night is different from a warm spring afternoon, even if the chicks are exactly the same age.
Short supervised outings can start earlier on warm, dry days. Give the chicks shelter from wind and sun, protect them from predators, and bring them back before they become chilled.
For a more detailed transition plan, see introducing chicks to the outdoors.
Do Not Rush Chicks Into the Adult Flock
A chick can be finished with brooder heat and still be much too small to live safely with adult hens. Older chickens may chase, corner, or peck newcomers while the flock sorts out its social order.
Start with a barrier so the two groups can see one another without making full contact. Once the youngsters are larger and quick enough to get away, allow supervised mixing with plenty of room.
More than one feeder and waterer helps. So do hiding places and escape routes that prevent a young bird from being trapped in a corner.
A few pecks do not automatically mean the introduction has failed. Continuous chasing, injuries, or a youngster being kept away from food are reasons to separate them and slow the process down.
Baby Chick Care, Week by Week
Week 1
This is the week when I would check the brooder most often. The warm area should be around 92–95°F, water needs frequent cleaning, and every chick should be finding the feeder.
Do not be surprised by how much they sleep. Healthy chicks can go from racing around the brooder to lying flat in a deep nap within minutes.
Watch vents for pasty butt and pay attention to any chick that keeps crying or sits alone while the others are comfortable.
Weeks 2–3
Feathers start taking over from the soft chick down, and the brooder gets dirty faster. Lower the heat gradually rather than making one big change.
A low, stable perch is fine at this stage if there is room. Keep it close to the floor because their landings are not exactly graceful yet.
Starter feed and clean water are still the main priorities. If the hatchery supplied vaccination records, keep them with your flock information instead of guessing about repeat doses.
Weeks 4–5
By now the chicks are stronger, noisier, and much more interested in escaping. A brooder wall that seemed impossibly high during week one may suddenly look very easy to fly over.
Continue tapering the heat. On mild days, short outdoor trips can give them room to scratch and explore, but they still need protection from weather and predators.
Weeks 6–8
Many chicks are mostly or fully feathered now. In suitable weather, this is often when they can move to a secure grow-out coop without supplemental heat.
Future laying hens can usually begin moving from starter to a grower or developer feed around this stage. Follow the directions on the feed bag rather than switching simply because the calendar says six weeks.
Once they are living outside, lock them into a predator-proof coop every evening. Young birds are easy targets for raccoons, hawks, cats, snakes, and other chicken predators.
Weeks 9–15
This is the awkward teenager stage. The birds grow quickly, juvenile roosters become easier to identify, and everyone needs more room at the feeder and on the roost.
Keep growing pullets on the appropriate grower or developer ration. Foraging is useful enrichment, but grass and bugs do not replace balanced feed.
If you already have adult chickens, gradual introductions often become easier now because the younger birds are bigger and quicker.
Weeks 16–20
Pullets are getting close to maturity, but do not panic if there are no eggs at 18 weeks. Some hybrids lay early. Many heritage breeds and larger chickens take longer.
Have the nesting boxes ready before the first eggs appear. Clean bedding and a quiet location usually matter more than trying to train every pullet to use a particular box.
Future layers generally move onto layer feed at around 18–20 weeks or when egg production begins, depending on the feed label and the flock’s development.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature should the brooder be during the first week?
Aim for a warm area of about 92–95°F at chick level. Use that as a starting point, then watch the chicks. Tight huddling usually means they are cold, while avoiding the heat and panting can mean they are too warm.
How long do chicks need supplemental heat?
Many chicks need some heat for roughly five to six weeks, but weather and feathering matter more than age alone. A fully feathered chick on a mild spring night has different needs from one facing cold, wet weather.
What feed should baby chicks eat?
Layer-type chicks should begin on chick starter. Many programs move them to grower or developer feed at around six weeks, then to layer feed near 18–20 weeks or when laying begins. Follow the directions on the feed you use.
Do baby chicks need treats?
No. Chick starter should provide the nutrition they need during the early weeks. There is no advantage in filling small crops with treats while the chicks are growing quickly.
When can baby chicks start going outside?
Short outings can start on warm, dry days before chicks are fully grown, as long as they are supervised and do not become chilled. A permanent move outside usually makes more sense once they are well feathered and the weather is suitable.
Should I vaccinate chicks at home?
First ask the hatchery what vaccines the chicks already received. Marek’s vaccination is commonly done at the hatchery. Other vaccination needs vary by location and disease risk, so get local veterinary or Extension advice rather than following one fixed online schedule.
When can young chickens join an adult flock?
Wait until the youngsters are large enough to avoid adults, then introduce the groups gradually through a barrier. Once they begin mixing, provide plenty of room and more than one feeder and waterer so young birds cannot easily be pushed away.
Final Thoughts
Raising chicks becomes much easier once you stop trying to manage every detail and start watching the birds. Warm chicks that are eating, drinking, exploring, and resting quietly are usually telling you that the setup is working.
During the first couple of weeks, most of your attention goes to heat, water, bedding, and the occasional messy vent. A few weeks later, the same birds are trying to fly out of the brooder and arguing over the highest perch.
By the time pullets are nearing laying age, brooder heat is a distant problem. Coop space, flock introductions, roosts, nesting boxes, and a suitable adult feeding program become the next things to get right.
Sources
- Penn State Extension: Brooding of Domestic Fowl
- Penn State Extension: Marek’s Disease in Chickens
- Oregon State University Extension: How to Feed Your Laying Hens
- USDA APHIS: National Poultry Improvement Plan
- University of Georgia Extension: Management Guide for the Backyard Flock
