Chick tips

Getting Started with Your Day-Old Chicks

There's no shortage of great information out there on raising chicks—we always encourage doing your own research before embarking on this rewarding journey. That said, we’ve learned a lot through hands-on experience and are happy to share our best tips to help your chicks thrive from day one.

1. Setting Up the Brooder

  • Pre-warm the brooder area: Start heating your brooder at least 24 hours before chicks arrive so the bedding is warm and dry. The overall brooder area can be around 85ºF (29ºC), but there must be a designated warm zone between 90–95ºF (32–35ºC) where chicks can snuggle under a heat lamp or warm source. This allows them to self-regulate—moving closer to heat when cold and away when comfortable.
  • Turkeys are more sensitive to temperature drops than chicks, as they don’t self-regulate their body temperature as well. Make sure their warm zone is consistently around 95–100ºF (35–38ºC) for the first few days.
  • Brooder heat sources: For small flocks, a 250-watt red or clear bulb suspended 18–24" off the floor is ideal. It provides radiant heat that chicks can move toward or away from as needed.
  • Using brooder plates? These can work well for small batches of chicks, but they don't provide radiant heat like lamps do. This makes it harder for larger groups to stay warm—especially during the adjustment phase. If using a heat plate:
    • Be sure to follow all manufacturer instructions carefully
    • Keep the plate tilted slightly, so chicks can choose how close they get
    • Avoid using plates for large groups—several customers have lost chicks this way
  • Watch for cues: Comfortable chicks form a ring under the heat, softly cheeping. Cold chicks pile together and chirp sharply. Hot chicks may pant or act lethargic.
  • Use chick-safe bedding: Dry pine shavings or straw work well. Avoid slippery materials like newspaper.

2. Transport & Arrival

  • Keep chicks in their box during travel: It’s well ventilated and helps them regulate body temperature together. Maintain a steady 20–24ºC in your vehicle. Avoid direct sun, air vents, or cold drafts.
  • Let them settle first: After arrival, give them 2–3 hours to adjust to the brooder environment before offering feed. Their bodies need to stabilize to properly digest food.
  • Behaviour = your best guide: Cold = tight huddling and loud peeping. Hot = panting or sluggish. Comfortable chicks move around and peep gently.

3. Feeding, Water & Nutrition

  • Offer cool drinking water: Water slightly cooler than brooder temp prevents chicks from standing in it and getting chilled. Warm water may not register as "wet" to them, leading to accidental soaking.
  • Use pebbles or marbles: Add to waterers to prevent drowning, especially the first 1–2 days.
  • Boost with raw egg yolk: A spoonful of yolk is an incredible natural energy source. It’s what sustained them in the egg and gives a healthy jumpstart post-hatch.
  • Consider electrolytes: Especially in warm weather or if chicks seem stressed from travel, electrolytes help restore balance.
  • Add chick grit: Chicks need grit to digest food. Offer in a separate dish, mixed in feed, or scattered on the brooder floor. It helps prevent digestive issues like pasty butt.

4. Turkey-Specific Advice

  • Keep turkey poults extra warm: Chilling often affects leg and toe joints. Turkeys benefit from being brooded with chicks, who help them learn to eat, drink, and stay warm.

Every setup is a little different, and learning what works best for your climate, space, and flock is part of the fun. Pay attention, trust your instincts, and enjoy the process. You've got this!