Starting with day-old chicks is the most rewarding way into chicken keeping — and it’s straightforward once the brooder is set up right. Here’s the whole arc, from fluffball to feathered pullet.
The brooder: your chicks’ first home
A brooder is just a safe, warm, draft-free box — a large tote, stock tank, or sturdy cardboard enclosure works. It needs:
- Heat. A brooder heat plate is safer than a traditional heat lamp (far lower fire risk and it mimics a mother hen’s warmth). Set it so chicks can move toward or away from the heat.
- Chick starter feed — a higher-protein crumble formulated for the first weeks.
- Clean water in a shallow chick waterer (deep dishes risk drowning; add clean pebbles if needed).
- Bedding — paper towels for the first few days (so they learn to eat feed, not shavings), then pine shavings.
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Temperature, week by week
This is the one thing to get right. Aim for 95°F at chick level in week 1, then drop ~5°F per week:
- Week 1: ~95°F · Week 2: ~90°F · Week 3: ~85°F … down to room temperature by about week 6.
- Read the chicks, not just the thermometer: huddled together under the heat means too cold; spread to the far edges and panting means too hot; evenly spread and busy means perfect.
Growing up and moving out
By around 6 weeks chicks are usually fully feathered and ready to transition outdoors — provided the coop is ready and secure, and nighttime temperatures are mild. If you’re adding them to an existing flock, integrate gradually: a week of “see but don’t touch” through wire reduces pecking-order conflict.
From there, switch to grower feed and follow the main feeding guide as they mature toward point of lay (around 18–22 weeks). Then it’s eggs — and you’ve raised them from day one.
Common questions
- What do baby chicks need?
- Five things: a draft-free brooder, a reliable heat source, chick starter feed, clean water, and absorbent bedding. Get the temperature right and the rest is easy.
- How warm should a brooder be?
- Start at about 95°F (35°C) at chick level for the first week, then reduce by about 5°F each week until you reach ambient temperature (around 6 weeks). The chicks tell you if it's right: huddled under the heat = too cold; pressed to the edges, panting = too hot; spread out and active = just right.
- When can chicks go outside?
- Once they're fully feathered — usually around 6 weeks — and nighttime temperatures where they'll live are mild, and the coop is ready and predator-proof. Introduce them to an existing flock gradually, with sight-but-no-contact for about a week first.