A Practical Guide to Brooding Without the Panic
You’ve got chicks—or you’re about to. And if you’re suddenly realizing that tiny, fragile things depending on you is a little stressful? You’re not wrong.
This guide won’t make you a chicken expert overnight—but it will help you keep them warm, dry, fed, and alive without losing your mind.
Brooder Setup: What You Actually Need
You don’t need a Pinterest brooder. You need:
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A box or bin that’s draft-free and tall enough to contain the chaos
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Safe bedding (pine shavings > paper towels > anything dusty or slick)
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A heat source that won’t start a fire
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Chick-safe feeder and waterer
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A lid or mesh cover to keep out curious pets and flying fluff nuggets
Aim for about 2 square feet per chick. Cramped chicks are cranky chicks.
Heat Source: Plate vs. Lamp
Chicks need warmth to survive their first weeks. Here’s what works:
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Week 1 temp: 90–95°F at chick level
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Drop 5°F each week until they’re feathered
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Heat plates > bulbs—safer, mimic mama, let them sleep normally
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Bulb user? Mount it securely. No cardboard, no cedar bedding, and never unattended.
Watch your chicks AND the thermometer.
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Huddled tight under heat? Too cold.
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Avoiding the heat completely? Too hot.
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Spread out and quiet? Perfect.
Feeding Chicks: What, How, and When
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Chick starter feed is your baseline (medicated or unmedicated—more below)
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Use shallow feeders they can’t poop in or flip
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Waterers must be chick-safe (use marbles in a shallow dish if DIYing)
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Add grit if you give anything besides starter feed (yes, even herbs)
Keep water off the floor or raise it slightly to avoid soaked bedding. Change it daily or more often if they trash it (they will).
Keep It Dry: Bedding & Brooder Cleaning
Wet bedding leads to cold chicks, infections, and smells that’ll knock you over.
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Spot clean poop and wet patches daily
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Full bedding change every 5–7 days or whenever it stinks
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Use pine shavings, chopped straw, or low-dust paper (no cedar, no cat litter)
This isn’t deep litter—it’s a high-stakes baby box. Keep it clean.
Handling Chicks: Should You? (Yes.)
You don’t have to bond with your chicks, but it helps.
Gentle, consistent handling:
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Helps them recognize you as safe
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Makes health checks easier
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Builds confidence in both of you
Keep your movements calm and steady. Let them come to your hand, not the other way around. No snatching. You’re not a hawk.
Medicated Feed: Do You Need It?
Short answer: no. Long answer: it depends.
Medicated starter feed contains amprolium, which slows the growth of coccidiosis, a parasite chicks can pick up in the environment.
Use it if:
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Your chicks were not vaccinated for coccidiosis
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You’re brooding indoors or in a very clean/new space
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You want an added layer of safety while their guts catch up
Skip it if:
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They were vaccinated (medicated feed can interfere)
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You’re using soil from your established flock for exposure
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You’re managing gut health with grit, probiotics, or fermented feed
It’s not required, and it’s not a moral issue. It’s just a tool—and a good one, if you're not sure where to start.
When Can Chicks Go Outside?
Once they’re fully feathered (5–6 weeks for most breeds), they can handle outside temps without a heat source—assuming you’re not in a blizzard.
✅ They’re ready if:
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Down is gone, and wing + belly feathers are in
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Temps are above freezing (ideally 50°F+)
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They’ve been weaned off indoor heat
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The coop or pen is predator-proof and draft-free
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There’s food, water, and some shade
You can offer short “field trips” outside at 3–4 weeks if the weather’s mild and they’re supervised. Think: recess, not full move-in day.
Quick Fixes for Common Issues
Pasty butt – Gently clean with warm water and soft cloth. Dry and monitor.
Splayed legs – Give better traction and apply a leg hobble (vet wrap or band-aid)
Constant loud peeping – Check heat, water, drafts, and overcrowding
Limp or sleepy chick – Could be fine, could be crashing. Isolate and watch.
Final Word
This doesn’t have to be complicated.
Warm. Dry. Clean. Fed. Watched. That’s the checklist.
If your brooder checks those boxes, you’re doing it right. Seriously.
