Key takeaways
- Start the brooder at 90–95°F in week one and drop it about 5°F each week until chicks are fully feathered around 5–6 weeks.
- Watch the chicks, not just the thermometer: huddled under the heat means too cold; pressed to the edges means too hot.
- Feed a complete 18–20% protein chick starter and offer clean, shallow water at all times — no grit needed on starter alone.
- Pasty butt and splay leg are common and usually fixable at home when caught early; gently clean pasty butt and hobble splayed legs.
Quick answer: Keep baby chicks in a clean, draft-free brooder at 90–95°F in week one, then lower the heat about 5°F each week until they're fully feathered around 5–6 weeks. Give them a complete 18–20% protein chick starter, clean shallow water at all times, and grippy bedding. Watch the chicks themselves — huddling means too cold, spreading out means too hot.
The first time I brought home a box of peeping day-old chicks, I set them in the brooder, sat on an upturned bucket, and just watched them for an hour. That habit stuck. I grew up on my family's organic farm, and the one thing four generations of chicken keepers drilled into me is that the brooder doesn't raise chicks — you do, by paying attention. A thermometer is a tool, but the chicks are the real gauge.
This is the guide I wish someone had handed me: the essentials (heat, bedding, feed, water), a week-by-week rhythm for the first six weeks, and how to handle the two problems that scare new keepers most — pasty butt and splay leg. I'm a lifelong keeper, not a veterinarian, so I'll flag clearly when something needs a vet. If you're brand new to all of this, start with my beginner's guide to backyard chickens for the big picture, then come back here for the brooder details.
What does a baby chick brooder need?
A good brooder needs five things: a safe heat source, a draft-free enclosure, absorbent non-slip bedding, a complete chick starter feed, and clean shallow water. Get those right and most chicks practically raise themselves.
The brooder itself can be a large plastic tote, a stock tank, a sturdy cardboard box, or a purpose-built brooder — anything roomy, draft-free, and easy to clean. Plan for at least half a square foot per chick to start, and more as they grow, because crowding causes stress, picking, and even leg problems.
- Brooder box or tank with high, draft-free sides (and a wire top if cats or curious kids are around)
- A heat source — heat plate or heat lamp — plus a thermometer at chick level
- Absorbent, grippy bedding such as pine shavings (with paper towels over the top for the first few days)
- A chick feeder and a complete 18–20% protein chick starter
- A shallow chick waterer kept clean and topped up
- A safe, easy-to-clean spot away from drafts, predators, and other pets
Should I use a heat plate or a heat lamp?
Both work well — heat plates are safer and let chicks keep a natural day-night rhythm, while heat lamps warm a wider area and add light so chicks easily find food and water. Choose what fits your setup, and let the chicks' behavior fine-tune it.
A radiant heat plate sits on adjustable legs and warms chicks from above, much like a broody hen — they tuck underneath to warm up, then come out to eat and play. Plates carry a much lower fire risk than lamps, which is a big reason I lean on them. The trade-off: a chilled chick may hide under the plate instead of eating and drinking, so keep an eye on activity in the first cold days.
A heat lamp throws a lot of heat over a wide area and gives off light, which helps chicks find feeders and waterers. You adjust warmth by raising, lowering, or changing the bulb. The downsides are real, though — heat lamps run hot and are a leading cause of barn and coop fires, so secure them with two independent supports, never just the clamp, and keep them well away from bedding.
Reading the chicks, not the thermometer
However you heat the brooder, the chicks tell you if it's right. Penn State Extension and other university poultry programs all give the same advice: if chicks crowd together directly under the heat, they're cold; if they press to the far edges and pant, they're too hot. Contented chicks spread out evenly, peep softly, and move freely between warm and cool zones. Always set up the brooder so there's a cooler corner they can escape to.
What is the right brooder temperature by week?
Start at 90–95°F at chick level in the first week, then lower the brooder temperature by about 5°F each week until chicks are fully feathered — usually around 5–6 weeks — when little or no added heat is needed. Measure the temperature right where the chicks stand, directly under the heat source.
| Week | Brooder temperature (at chick level) | What you'll see |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 90–95°F (32–35°C) | Tiny, fragile, sleep often; need steady warmth |
| Week 2 | 85–90°F (29–32°C) | More active; first wing feathers appear |
| Week 3 | 80–85°F (27–29°C) | Feathering out; lots of exploring and dust-bathing |
| Week 4 | 75–80°F (24–27°C) | Mostly feathered; needs less heat |
| Week 5 | 70–75°F (21–24°C) | Nearly fully feathered; flying up onto things |
| Week 6+ | ~70°F or room temp | Fully feathered; usually no added heat unless cold |
These ranges line up with guidance from university Cooperative Extension poultry programs. Treat them as a starting point: if you're brooding in a chilly garage or during cold weather, hold the heat a little longer and watch the chicks closely. Fully feathered birds tolerate normal household temperatures fine, but they still need protection from drafts and sudden cold snaps.
What bedding is best for a chick brooder?
Use an absorbent, non-slip bedding like large-flake pine shavings, and lay paper towels over the top for the first few days so newly hatched chicks get sure footing while they learn to walk. Avoid slick surfaces such as newspaper or smooth plastic — they're a leading cause of splay leg.
Pine shavings keep the brooder dry and cut down on smell, but bare shavings can be slippery for wobbly day-old chicks, and some may peck at them before they've found the feed. Paper towels over the shavings for the first 2–3 days solve both problems: good grip and an obvious surface to eat from. After that, switch fully to shavings and spot-clean daily, refreshing as needed. A damp, dirty brooder breeds the chilling and bacteria that lead to pasty butt and other troubles, so dry and clean is the goal every single day.
What should I feed baby chicks, and how do I set up water?
Feed a complete chick starter with about 18–20% protein from day one, and keep clean, shallow water available at all times. On a complete starter, chicks don't need grit until they eat treats or other foods.
Chick starter is formulated with the protein, vitamins, and minerals growing chicks need, so it can be their only food for the first several weeks. You'll choose between two versions:
- Medicated starter contains amprolium, which helps prevent coccidiosis (a common, sometimes deadly intestinal parasite). Choose this if your chicks haven't been vaccinated for coccidiosis or you're unsure.
- Non-medicated starter is the same feed without amprolium. Choose this if your chicks were vaccinated for coccidiosis at the hatchery.
For water, use a proper shallow chick waterer rather than an open bowl — chicks can chill or even drown in deep water. When chicks first arrive, especially shipped ones, gently dip each chick's beak in the water so they learn where it is. Set the feeder and waterer on a small, level surface to keep bedding out, and refresh the water whenever it gets dirty (which, with chicks, is often). Resist the urge to spoil them with treats this early; their starter has everything they need, and rich snacks can upset tiny digestive systems. Coccidiosis is the illness that worries new keepers most at this stage — my guide to coccidiosis in chicks, its symptoms and treatment, explains how medicated feed, dry bedding, and clean water work together to prevent it. Once they're a little older and you start adding extras, my guide to what to feed backyard chickens covers safe treats and how grit fits in.
What does each week in the brooder look like?
Expect rapid change: fragile sleepers in week one become feathered, flighty explorers by weeks five and six, with heat needs dropping the whole way. Here's the rhythm I follow.
Weeks 1–2
This is the fragile stretch. Keep the brooder warm and draft-free, watch that every chick is eating, drinking, and active, and check vents daily for pasty butt. Chicks sleep a lot and may flop over mid-nap — normal. Keep handling gentle and brief.
Weeks 3–4
Feathers come in fast and chicks get bold and busy — scratching, dust-bathing in the shavings, and testing tiny wings. Lower the heat on schedule, give them more room, and add a low perch for them to practice on. You'll go through bedding and water faster now.
Weeks 5–6
By now chicks are nearly or fully feathered and may need little to no added heat. This is when you start thinking about the coop. If the weather is mild and your coop is secure, begin short, supervised outings to help them acclimate, then transition them fully once they're feathered out and overnight temperatures are reasonable.
How do I handle pasty butt and splay leg?
Both are common and usually fixable at home when caught early. Pasty butt is droppings stuck over the vent — clean it gently and fix the cause. Splay leg is feet pointing sideways — correct it with a soft hobble on a non-slip surface.
Pasty butt
Pasty butt (or "pasting up") happens when droppings dry over a chick's vent and block it, which can be fatal if ignored. It's most common in the first couple of weeks and is often triggered by stress (like shipping) or a brooder that's too hot. To treat it, dampen the stuck droppings with a warm, wet cloth or a quick warm-water dip of the rear only, then gently wipe the area clean — never pull dried droppings off dry, as you can tear the skin. Pat the chick dry, keep it warm, and dab a tiny bit of petroleum jelly on the clean vent. If several chicks are pasting up, your brooder is likely too warm — lower it — and some keepers find switching feed brands helps. Knowing what normal chick droppings look like makes spotting trouble easier; my chicken poop chart of healthy vs. sick droppings walks through what to watch for.
Splay leg (spraddle leg)
Splay leg — also called spraddle leg — is when a chick's legs slip out sideways from the hip so it can't stand or walk. It's usually caused by slick footing, a hard hatch, overcrowding, or temperature swings during incubation. Caught early, it responds well to a soft "hobble": a small band (a strip of self-stick bandage or a tiny figure-eight of soft cord) that links the legs at a natural, hip-width distance so the chick can stand and strengthen its muscles. Keep the chick on a grippy surface like paper towels, and the legs usually correct within about 3–4 days. The best fix is prevention — never brood chicks on slick newspaper or smooth plastic.
When should I call a vet?
Call a poultry-savvy vet when a chick is failing despite good care, or when a problem spreads through the brooder. Most chick care is hands-on home care, but some situations are beyond a keeper's reach, and chicks go downhill fast.
- A chick is limp, gasping, or won't eat or drink despite being warm — a sick chick chills quickly and needs help
- Bloody droppings, many chicks suddenly droopy and huddled, or rapid deaths — possible coccidiosis or another contagious illness
- A splay leg or injury that doesn't improve after several days of hobbling and supportive care
- Pasty butt that keeps recurring across the flock even after you've corrected temperature and feed
- Any neurological signs — twisted neck, tremors, or a chick that can't hold its head up
I keep a simple chick first-aid kit on hand — self-stick bandage for hobbles, plain electrolyte/probiotic powder for water, and clean cloths — but I never hesitate to call a vet when a chick is genuinely sick. You know your birds; trust your gut.
Frequently asked questions
How warm should a chick brooder be?
Start at about 90–95°F at chick level in week one, then lower it roughly 5°F per week. By around 5–6 weeks, fully feathered chicks usually need no added heat unless it's cold. Always read the temperature where the chicks stand, directly under the heat source, and watch their behavior.
Do baby chicks need a heat lamp or a heat plate?
Either works. Heat plates are radiant, low-fire-risk, and let chicks keep a natural day-night rhythm, but cold chicks may hide under them instead of eating. Heat lamps warm a wide area and add light so chicks easily find food and water, but they run hotter and carry more fire risk. Pick what suits your setup and watch the chicks.
What do you feed baby chicks?
Feed a complete chick starter with about 18–20% protein from day one through several weeks. Choose medicated (contains amprolium for coccidiosis) if your chicks aren't vaccinated, or non-medicated if they are. On a complete starter, chicks don't need grit until they eat treats or other foods.
Why does my chick have a pasty butt?
Pasty butt is droppings stuck over the vent, often from stress or a too-hot brooder. Soak and gently wipe the area clean with a warm, damp cloth, dry the chick, and dab a little petroleum jelly on the vent. If many chicks paste up, lower the brooder temperature and consider switching feed brands.
How do I fix splay leg in a chick?
Splay (spraddle) leg makes the feet point sideways so the chick can't stand. Caught early, it's usually fixable with a soft hobble — a small band linking the legs at a natural width — worn for about 3–4 days on a non-slip surface. Prevent it by using grippy bedding like paper towels over shavings, never slick newspaper.
How long do chicks stay in the brooder?
Most chicks stay in the brooder for about 5–6 weeks, until they're fully feathered and weaned off heat. Before moving them outdoors, make sure they're feathered out, your coop is predator-proof, and nighttime temperatures are mild — or plan a gradual transition so they can acclimate.
Can I raise just one baby chick on its own?
It's best not to. Chickens are flock animals, and a single chick raised alone tends to be stressed, lonely, and harder to integrate later. Plan to brood at least three chicks together so they can huddle, learn normal behavior, and grow into a small flock. If you end up with a lone survivor, try to source a same-age companion or two quickly.
Do baby chicks need light on at night?
They need warmth around the clock, but not necessarily bright light all night. If you use a heat plate, chicks can settle into a natural day-night rhythm, which many keepers prefer. If you use a heat lamp, it will give off light constantly — a red bulb is gentler and can reduce pecking. Either way, make sure the warm zone is steady overnight, since a cold night is far more dangerous to a chick than a dim one.
How do I introduce brooder-raised chicks to my existing flock?
Wait until the chicks are fully feathered and close to the size of your adults, then integrate gradually rather than all at once. The classic method is to house them where the flock can see but not touch them for a week or two, then allow brief supervised mingling before they share the coop. Going slow keeps pecking-order scuffles to a minimum and lets everyone adjust.
Can baby chicks get coccidiosis, and how do I prevent it?
Yes — coccidiosis is one of the most common serious illnesses in young chicks, spread through droppings in damp bedding. Prevention comes down to dry, clean bedding, fresh water, not overcrowding, and often a medicated starter feed containing amprolium if your chicks weren't vaccinated. Watch for bloody or unusual droppings, droopy huddled chicks, or sudden deaths, and call a vet promptly, as it can move fast.
Sources & further reading
A note from Sarah: I'm a lifelong keeper, not a veterinarian. This guide shares what's worked for my own flock and is meant for general education — if a bird is seriously ill or injured, please call your vet. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.
