Raising Day-Old Chicks: The Journey from Brooder to Coop

As homesteaders, there's nothing quite as rewarding and enriching as raising day-old chicks. It's a journey filled with learning, love, and the wonder of life. This year, we opened our flock to White Leghorns, a breed renowned for their impressive egg-laying abilities. Our homesteading journey has seen us welcome a variety of chicken breeds, each with its unique traits and challenges.

We detailed these experiences in a previous blog post: The Ultimate Homestead Chicken Showdown: Comparing 8 Popular Breeds for a Dual-Purpose Flock. Give it a read if you’re trying to decide which breed is right for your homestead.

Creating a Nurturing Home: The Brooder

Every chick's journey begins in the brooder, their first home. Like probably a lot of people, we started with a plastic tote, a budget-friendly option that was easy to clean. However, we quickly realized there are some drawbacks to a plastic container like a storage tote. We had to hang the heat lamp at just the right height so it would be warm enough for the chicks, but not to close so it would touch the sides and cause danger like melting. It was a difficult balance at first trying to determine how to position a heat lamp just right over a plastic tote. Enter the 100-gallon galvanized stock tank from Tractor Supply. The galvanized stock tank offered our chicks more room to move and explore, a critical factor for their growth and development in their first days of life. It has much taller sides than most totes, which keeps them from getting curious and fluttering out of the container and hurting themselves or unknowingly removing them from the warmth of the heat lamp. This is the same basic tank you’ve probably seen chicks in at Tractor Supply or your local hatchery during chick season.

As our chicks continued to grow, we realized they needed even more space, which led us to build an outdoor brooder. This outdoor brooder provided ample room for our chicks and helped them adjust to the outdoor environment, a critical step before they moved to the coop. Depending on the situations, like time of year and weather, we have found that we will use the steel tank indoors if we hatch or purchase chicks early in the year since we live in Maine and the spring weather can be a bit on the harsh side.

If we have chicks later in the year, we’ll put them directly in our outdoor brooder instead of using the stock tank inside. This has given us the flexibility to accommodate hatchlings at any time of year.

Controlling the Environment: The Role of Temperature

Temperature control is vital during the early life stages of a chick. They cannot regulate their body temperature, making them heavily reliant on us. We ensure a warm environment for our chicks, maintaining a brooder temperature of around 95 degrees Fahrenheit during their first week. As they grow, we reduce the temperature by 5 degrees each week until they are fully feathered and can regulate their body temperature themselves.

We use a simple heat lamp like this: Brooder Clamp Lamp 8.5-Inch Aluminum Reflector. Nothing fancy but it gets the job done and is reliable. We own a couple of them and have been using the same ones for years whether in the stock tank or outdoor brooder. They are easy to clip onto the side of the tank or hang from above. Generally, we place it on one side of the brooders so the birds can move to the other side if they are feeling a bit to warm.

We also use a basic digital thermometer like this: IncuTherm™ Plus Digital Thermometer/Hygrometer to monitor the temperature, ensuring the chicks' comfort and safety. By having one like this we can move the probe to different areas to monitor the temperatures throughout the brooder while keeping the display on the outside so it’s easy to read. It’s important to monitor the temperature constantly to maintain and adjust the heat lamp as the chicks grow.

Nutrition is Key: Hydration and Feeding

Access to clean water and nutritious feed is crucial for chicks. We've tested several feeders and waterers over the years but find that while they are young and small, starting with something basic like this Chick Feeder and Waterer Combo is the best option in the beginning. As they get bigger and consume more food and water, and once we’ve moved them to the larger outdoor brooder we switch to larger versions so we’re not having to fill them constantly.

Chicks require a special diet for healthy growth. We feed them a specially formulated chick starter feed packed with essential proteins and nutrients. As they mature, we slowly introduce fresh fruits and vegetables into their diet until they are ready for a laying feed later on in the year.

The Gentle Touch: Handling and Care

Chicks are fragile and need gentle care. Spending time with them, talking, and observing their behavior help us form a bond with them. As they grow, we introduced toys like mirrors and balls to keep them stimulated.

Cleanliness is essential in preventing diseases. We regularly clean the brooder, ensuring a comfortable and safe environment for our chicks. We start out with simple pine shavings until we transition to straw or hay later on, once their legs are larger and stronger and easily able to move around the stiffer bedding.

A Watchful Eye: Illness and Health Issues

Chicks are prone to health issues like respiratory infections, coccidiosis, and Marek's disease. Early detection is key to effective treatment. It’s important to remain vigilant for signs of illness, such as loss of appetite, drooping wings, and diarrhea.

One common issue we have encountered is "pasty butt" or "sticky bottom," where droppings stick to the chick's vent, potentially causing a blockage. We've dealt with this issue by gently cleaning the droppings off the chick with a warm damp cloth and ensuring they are properly hydrated and fed. Sometimes it takes several cleanings to completely remove the droppings. The chicks don’t like it, but its necessary to keep them clean otherwise it can lead to blockage of their vent and cause much more dangerous problems.

The Homesteading Experience: Raising Day-Old Chicks

Raising day-old chicks is an adventure filled with joy, challenges, and continuous learning. It demands time, patience, and dedication, but the rewards are truly unparalleled. Watching your chicks grow, observing their unique personalities, and finally seeing them integrate into your flock is an experience that words cannot fully capture.

While we share our experiences, we understand that each homesteading journey is unique. You might find different methods and materials that work better for your chicks. The goal is to create a safe and nurturing environment where your chicks can grow into healthy, happy chickens.

As you embark on this rewarding journey, we hope our experiences and tips prove helpful. We're here to guide you, sharing our triumphs, challenges, and lessons. Here's to happy homesteading!