Last updated: September 2026
Quick answer: Baby chicks need a brooder at 95°F (35°C) in week one, dropped 5°F each week until they are fully feathered at around six weeks. Give them chick starter crumble, clean water, and roughly 0.5 sq ft each to begin with, doubling by week four. Most chicks move outdoors permanently between 6 and 8 weeks.
What to have ready before they arrive
Chicks arrive on a schedule you do not control, and the mistake almost everyone makes is buying the brooder gear the same day as the birds. Set the brooder up and run it for 24 hours first so you know it actually holds temperature.
| Item | Why it matters | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|
| Brooder container | Large tote, stock tank or cardboard box with high sides | Free-$40 |
| Heat plate or lamp | Heat plate is far safer; lamps start fires | $35-$60 |
| Thermometer | Guessing the temperature is how chicks die | $8 |
| Chick starter crumble | 18-20% protein, correct particle size | $20 per 25 lb |
| Chick waterer | Narrow lip so they cannot drown | $10 |
| Chick feeder | Stops them standing in and fouling the feed | $10 |
| Pine shavings | Never cedar, never newspaper | $8 |
| Chick grit | Only once they eat anything besides crumble | $8 |
Two bedding rules worth stating plainly. Cedar shavings are toxic to chicks because the aromatic oils damage their respiratory tract, so use kiln-dried pine or hemp. And never use newspaper or anything slick, because chicks that cannot get traction develop splayed leg within days.
If you have not chosen breeds yet, do that before you are standing in a feed store in March looking at a bin of day-olds. Our list of the best chicken breeds for beginners and the friendliest breeds will save you from an impulse purchase you regret in six months.
Brooder temperature week by week
This is the number that matters most in the first month. Chicks cannot regulate their own body temperature until they feather out, so the brooder is doing it for them.
| Age | Temperature (F) | Temperature (C) |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 (days 1-7) | 95°F | 35°C |
| Week 2 | 90°F | 32°C |
| Week 3 | 85°F | 29°C |
| Week 4 | 80°F | 27°C |
| Week 5 | 75°F | 24°C |
| Week 6 | 70°F | 21°C |
| Week 7+ | Ambient | Ambient |
Measure at chick height directly under the heat source, not at the top of the tote. And heat only one end of the brooder. A temperature gradient lets chicks choose, which matters more than hitting the exact number.
Read the chicks, not just the thermometer. Piled up in a tight ball directly under the heat means too cold. Pressed flat against the far walls, panting, wings held out means too hot. Spread out, moving around, chirping softly and sleeping in loose groups means you have it right. Loud, sharp, persistent cheeping is a distress call, and it is nearly always temperature.
Setting up the brooder
Space. Allow 0.5 sq ft per chick for the first two weeks, then 1 sq ft each through week six. Twelve chicks need about 6 sq ft to start and 12 sq ft by week four. Crowding causes pecking, and once feather-picking starts it is difficult to stop.
Heat source. Radiant heat plates have largely replaced heat lamps and for good reason. They mimic a broody hen, use a fraction of the electricity, produce no light so chicks sleep on a normal cycle, and they do not burn barns down. Heat lamps cause a genuinely alarming number of coop fires every year. If you must use one, secure it with a chain and a separate backup wire, never a clamp alone.
Walls. Higher than you think. Chicks start fluttering out of an 18-inch box by week two, and by week three they will roost on the rim. Cover the top with hardware cloth once they start testing it.
Roosts. Add a low perch an inch or two off the ground around week two. They will start using it, and it builds the habit before they move to the coop.
The first 24 hours
Chicks absorb the remainder of the yolk sac just before hatching, which is why they can ship for up to 72 hours without food. On arrival they are dehydrated, and water comes first.
Dip each chick’s beak in the waterer as you lift it into the brooder. Most take it from there. Adding electrolytes or plain sugar water at roughly 3 tablespoons per quart for the first day helps shipped chicks recover, though do not run sugar water beyond 24 hours.
Leave the feed out but do not fuss over eating. Chicks may not eat properly for several hours. Then leave them alone. Handling on day one is stressful, and the most useful thing you can do in the first 24 hours is check the temperature and keep the room quiet.
Feed, water and grit
Chick starter at 18-20% protein is the only feed they need for the first 8 weeks. Do not feed layer feed to chicks under any circumstances, because the calcium level will damage their kidneys before they are old enough to use it.
Medicated or unmedicated? Medicated starter contains amprolium, which is not an antibiotic, but a coccidiostat that limits the coccidia parasite while the chick develops its own resistance. If your chicks were vaccinated for coccidiosis at the hatchery, use unmedicated feed, because medicated feed cancels the vaccine. If they were not vaccinated and you are brooding on used bedding or in a damp environment, medicated is sensible. Both are legitimate.
Grit is only needed once chicks eat anything besides crumble. The moment you offer a treat, a bit of grass or a mealworm, they need chick-sized insoluble grit in a separate dish so the gizzard can grind it.
Treats should stay under 10% of intake, exactly as with adults. And the same toxic list applies from day one, so read what not to feed chickens before you start handing out kitchen scraps. Chick water should be changed at least twice daily, because chicks foul it constantly.
Week-by-week timeline
| Age | What happens | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Fluffy, sleeping constantly, wing feathers start | 95°F, check for pasty butt daily |
| Week 2 | Wing and tail feathers visible, short flights | 90°F, add a low roost, raise brooder walls |
| Week 3 | Body feathers coming in, very active | 85°F, expect a mess, expand space |
| Week 4 | Looking scruffy and half-feathered, dust bathing | 80°F, short supervised outdoor trips on warm days |
| Week 5 | Mostly feathered, pecking order forming | 75°F, watch for bullying |
| Week 6 | Fully feathered, comb development starts | 70°F, begin coop transition |
| Weeks 7-8 | Cockerels start becoming obvious | Move to coop full time |
| Weeks 16-24 | Point of lay approaching | Switch to layer feed at first egg |
That last row catches people out. Do not switch to layer feed on a calendar date, switch when the first egg appears, or when the flock is around 18 weeks, whichever comes first. Timing varies a lot by breed, which we cover in when chickens start laying eggs.
Common problems and fixes
Pasty butt
Droppings dry and seal the vent shut, which is fatal within a day or two if untreated. It is the single most common cause of death in the first week. Check every chick daily for the first ten days. To clear it, soften the blockage with a warm damp cloth and ease it off gently, never pull. Pasty butt is usually caused by shipping stress or a brooder that is too hot.
Splayed leg
Legs slide out sideways so the chick cannot stand. Caused by slick flooring. Fix it within a day or two by hobbling the legs at correct width with a small plaster or a hair elastic for 2-3 days. Caught early it corrects completely.
Coccidiosis
Blood in droppings, hunched posture, lethargy, ruffled feathers, usually between 3 and 6 weeks. Caused by a parasite thriving in damp bedding. Treat promptly with amprolium in the water and dry the brooder out. Keeping bedding dry prevents almost every case.
Feather picking
Chicks pecking at each other’s feathers, vents or toes. Nearly always crowding, boredom or excessive heat and light. Add space, add something to peck at, and turn the brightness down. A heat plate helps here because it produces no light.
Chilling
A cold chick goes quiet, stops eating and dies fast. Warm a chilled chick gradually against your body or in a warm towel, not with a sudden blast of heat. Detailed clinical guidance on brooding problems is available through Poultry Extension.
Moving chicks outdoors
Two conditions have to be met: the chicks are fully feathered, usually 6 weeks, and the outdoor night temperature is comfortably above 65°F, or they have supplemental heat in the coop.
Move them gradually. Supervised daytime trips outside from week four, then a few full days in a secure run, then nights in the coop. A hard transition on a cold night is how people lose birds at the last hurdle.
The coop itself needs to be predator-proof before they go in, not after. Hardware cloth rather than chicken wire, and a latch a raccoon cannot solve. See our chicken coop plans and space requirements, and add nesting boxes before they reach 16 weeks so the habit forms in the right place.
Integrating with an existing flock is a separate job and should not happen before 12-16 weeks, when pullets are close to adult size. Use the look-but-do-not-touch method: a week of separation by wire within sight of each other, then supervised mixing, ideally at dusk on the roost.
Frequently asked questions
How long do baby chicks need a heat lamp?
Until they are fully feathered, typically 6 weeks. Reduce the brooder temperature by 5°F each week from 95°F in week one down to 70°F in week six.
How many chicks should I start with?
Three at minimum, because chickens are flock animals and a lone chick does badly. Most beginners land on 4 to 6, which suits a small coop and produces a manageable number of eggs.
Can baby chicks drink cold water?
Use room-temperature water. Cold water chills a small chick quickly, and chilled chicks stop eating.
When can chicks go outside?
Supervised daytime trips from around 4 weeks in warm weather, and permanently from 6 to 8 weeks once fully feathered and night temperatures stay above 65°F.
Do baby chicks need light at night?
No. They need warmth, not light. A radiant heat plate is better than a lamp precisely because it lets chicks sleep on a natural dark cycle.
What is the hardest week for baby chicks?
Week one. Pasty butt, chilling and dehydration all cluster in the first seven days, which is why daily vent checks matter so much.
How much does it cost to raise chicks?
Budget roughly $100-$150 for brooder equipment plus $3-$6 per chick, before the coop. Our full breakdown is in the cost to start backyard chickens.
Getting your first flock together? Read our complete beginner guide, then browse all the chicken breeds to work out which birds fit your climate and space.
Pullets should not meet the adult flock until 12-16 weeks. When that time comes, follow how to introduce new chickens.