A Chick's First 48 Hours: First Care After Hatch and Common Problems

The 21 days of incubation went well and the chicks hatched — but the job isn't over. The most critical period in a chick's life is the first 48 hours after the hatch. A few right or wrong things done in this short window determine whether the chick grows up healthy or is lost in the first days. This guide explains how to care for a chick in its first 48 hours after hatch, how to teach it its first water and feed, and the most common problems in newly hatched chicks.

The Yolk Sac: Why It Manages 48 Hours Without Feed

A newly hatched chick is born with the yolk sac it drew into its abdomen. This sac is a natural reserve that feeds the chick and lets it manage without food or water for 24-48 hours after hatch. This is why commercial hatcheries can ship day-old chicks without feed or water. So feeding the chick immediately is not essential; your real priority is to dry and warm it in the machine.

Moving from the Machine to the Brooder

Don't take chicks out of the machine the moment they hatch. Leave them in the machine until their down is fully dry and they are on their feet (usually a few hours); a wet chick chills. Move the dried chicks to a pre-warmed brooder (about 35 °C the first week). The details of hatch day and when to open the machine are in our hatch day guide.

First Water: It Comes Before Feed

When chicks are moved to the brooder, the first thing is water:

• Teach them to drink: Chicks don't instinctively know how to drink; gently dip a few beaks in the water and the others imitate them.
• Lukewarm and shallow: The water should be lukewarm (cold water chills); keep the drinker shallow and add clean pebbles or marbles to prevent drowning.
• Support for stressed/shipped chicks: Adding an electrolyte or a pinch of sugar to the first water of chicks that hatched tired or arrived by post speeds their recovery.

First Feed

Give feed after they've drunk. On the first day, sprinkle the feed on paper over the bedding so the chicks find it easily; move to a feeder after a few days. Use a quality chick starter (18-20% protein for chickens); the protein need differs for waterfowl and game birds (see the relevant species guides). Keep feed and water available at all times.

Heat and Behavior: The Chicks Tell You

The chicks' behavior shows whether the heat is right:

• Huddling under the heat source → they're cold, raise the heat.
• Fleeing to the edges, away from the heat → too hot, lower the heat.
• Spread evenly over the pen, eating and drinking comfortably → the heat is right.

The Most Common Problems in the First Days

• Pasty butt (vent pasting): Droppings stick to the chick's vent and dry, blocking it; untreated it can be fatal. Soften the down with a damp, warm cloth and gently clean off the plug (don't pull). The cause is usually chilling, overheating or stress; balance the heat.
• Splay/spraddle leg: The legs slip out to the sides and the chick can't stand; usually due to a slippery floor. Use non-slip bedding; if it has developed, a soft hobble holding the legs close together can correct it in a few days.
• Unhealed navel / mushy chick: A chick with an unclosed navel or a swollen belly is prone to infection (omphalitis). Keep these chicks separate, clean and warm; hygiene is critical.
• Weak / listless chick: Keep a late-hatched or weak chick warm, dip its beak in water, give sugar/electrolyte water and don't overhandle it; most recover in a few hours.

Shipped or Bought Day-Old Chicks

Day-old chicks that arrive by post or that you bought, rather than hatched yourself, are stressed from the journey. Before trying to feed them right away: move them to a pre-warmed pen, first dip their beaks in warm electrolyte/sugar water, and let them rest. Give feed after they've recovered for an hour or two.

Little Intervention, Much Observation

Don't keep handling and disturbing the chicks in the first 48 hours; frequent handling creates stress. Provide a quiet, warm and safe environment and observe from a distance. It's enough to check that each chick gets on its feet, drinks and eats, and moves comfortably.

The Most Common Mistakes

• Taking a wet chick out of the machine before it dries and chilling it.
• Skipping teaching them to drink (a chick doesn't know how on its own).
• Giving cold or deep water (chilling, drowning).
• Not noticing pasty butt and not cleaning off the plug.
• Rearing on a slippery floor and causing splay leg.
• Constantly handling the chicks and stressing them.

You'll find the whole week-by-week heat, feed and shelter plan after hatch in our brooder guide. To not miss the critical days of incubation and post-hatch, you can use the KuluçkaTakip app.