Bringing Your Chicks Home: The Complete Care Guide

I have been raising flocks for over 30 years, and I’ve learned exactly what these little birds need to thrive. Follow my guide to ensure your new arrivals get the best start possible.

1. The Brooder Setup (Before They Arrive)

Before you even pick up your birds, your brooder needs to be ready and running. Chicks need to go straight from their travel box into a fully warmed environment.

Heat & Space

Temperature: The brooder floor directly under the heat source must be 100°F–105°F for the first few days, then lowered to 100°F for the rest of the week.
Warm & Cool Zones: You must provide a warm zone for sleeping and a cooler zone for them to regulate their body temperature.
Space: Start with ½ square foot per chick. For 50 chicks, I recommend a circular draft shield about 5 to 6 feet across.

Bedding (Litter)

Use: Large pine shavings (1-2 inches deep, or 3-5 inches on a concrete floor), dry straw, or rice hulls.
Do NOT Use: Small shavings, sawdust, or sand (they will eat it and risk fatal crop impaction).
Never Use: Puppy pads (too slippery) or cedar/cypress shavings (highly toxic to poultry).
Avoid: Totes or plastic tubs—they are simply too small to provide an adequate cool-down area.

2. Welcome Home (The First 24 Hours)

Your chicks have had a stressful trip, and this first day is all about stabilization. Keep the room temperature around them a draft-free 60°F–80°F.

Hydration First

Small birds dehydrate fast, but you must be careful: do not give them cold water. If they drink a lot of cold water, their body temperature will plummet, putting them into shock.

Day 1 Water: Needs to be very warm (90°F–105°F).
The Beak Dip: As you unpack them, gently hold each chick's head and do a quick dip of their beak into the warm water. Let go, and watch them swallow. This teaches them where the water is.
Next Steps: Keep the water warm for days 2 and 3, then transition to room temperature.

Teaching Them to Eat

Chicks won't eat or drink until their bodies are fully warmed up. Once they are warm, they will start exploring.

The Paper Towel Trick: For the first day only, lay paper towels on the brooder floor and sprinkle chick starter/grower feed evenly across it. This helps them recognize the food. Remove the towels once they figure out the actual feeder.
The Egg Trick: Crumble some hard-boiled egg yolk over their feed to jumpstart their appetite. Remove any uneaten egg after 2-4 hours.
Hands Off: Please refrain from handling or playing with the birds for the first 24 hours. They need uninterrupted time to destress.

3. Troubleshooting & Special Situations

Even with my decades of experience, every year brings something new. Observation is your best tool. The behavior of the chicks is the best indicator of a comfortable temperature: if they huddle, they are cold; if they press against the far edges, they are too hot.

Stress & Pasty Butt

If chicks had a hard trip, they might act lethargic or develop "pasty butt" (manure stuck to their backside). If this backs up, it can be fatal.

Gently wipe their backside daily with a warm, damp washcloth until the issue clears.
Add 4 tablespoons of Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother) per quart of water for 3-5 days to help their gut recover.

Feather Picking

Chicks might pick at each other due to overheating, crowding, boredom, or the stress of a 24/7 bright white heat lamp.

Switch to a red heat bulb to calm them.
Add boredom busters like small roosting branches, a clump of hay, or a chunk of grass sod.
If a chick is injured, apply a menthol ointment (like Vicks VapoRub) to the area to deter further picking while it heals.

4. Growing Up (After 4 Weeks)

They grow incredibly fast! After the four-week mark, you will need to adjust their setup:

Space: Increase their floor area to 3-4 square feet per bird.
Feeders: Provide 2½ to 3 inches of feeder space per bird.
Water: Upgrade to a 5-gallon fount per 100 chicks, or switch to a nipple watering system.
Roosting: Install low roosting poles at the back of the brooder, gradually raising them as the chicks grow.