Chick Care Guide
The first weeks after hatching lay the foundation for a healthy, strong flock.
Week-by-Week Care
Week 1 (Days 1-7)
Keep the brooder at 35 °C. Provide clean water and chick starter feed at all times. Add clean pebbles to the waterer to prevent drowning.
Weeks 2-3
Lower the heat by about 3 °C each week. Chicks huddling (too cold) or hugging the edges (too hot) tell you how to adjust the temperature.
Weeks 4-5
Feathering begins. If daytime temperatures allow, permit short, supervised outdoor trips. Transition gradually to grower feed.
Week 6 and beyond
Once fully feathered, extra heat is usually no longer needed. If the weather is suitable, chicks can move to an outdoor coop.
The Essentials
Heat
35 °C in week one; reduce by ~3 °C each week. Use a heat lamp or heat plate.
Water
Always clean, lukewarm water. Use a shallow waterer; add pebbles against drowning.
Feed
Protein-rich chick starter. For waterfowl, watch for niacin supplementation.
Bedding
Non-slip, absorbent bedding (shavings/straw). Change when wet; avoid newspaper.
Space
Allow enough room per chick; crowding spreads stress and disease.
Safety
Provide an enclosed, well-ventilated brooder safe from predators and drafts.
Differences by species group
The weekly plan above is a general baseline (for chicken-like landfowl). The main differences by group are:
Landfowl (chicken, turkey)
The baseline plan is built for this group. Use an 18–20% protein starter for chickens and about 28% for turkey poults; poults need a little more attention learning to eat and drink in the first days.
Waterfowl (duck, goose, Muscovy)
Add niacin (B3) to the starter; a deficiency causes leg weakness. Use a shallow, tip-proof drinker — ducklings can get soaked and chilled or drown. They feather faster and can leave the heat a little earlier than chicks.
Game birds (quail, pheasant, partridge, guinea fowl)
They need a high-protein (28–30%) game bird starter. Add marbles or gravel to the drinker so tiny chicks like quail don't drown. They are flighty and jumpy, so use a covered, calm brooder.
Large and ratite species (peafowl, ostrich)
Peafowl need high protein similar to game birds. Ostriches are very different: they don't need intense heat, but they require plenty of space and movement for leg development; don't overfeed in the first days while the yolk sac is being absorbed.