Caring for new chicks
1. Feed (in a small lid) and water (in a saucer or waterer with marbles in it) every day.
Don’t over medicate your chicks. Use water additive OR medicated feed, not both.
2. Clean out the box every day and remember to put new flooring in. Diseases can start in an
unclean box. (Use newspapers as a bottom layer and paper towels as the top layer.)
3. Make sure your chicks are warm enough. The chicks should be kept in a temperature of
1 day to 1 week:
95 degrees F
3 weeks to 4 weeks: 80 degrees F
1 week to 2 weeks:
90 degrees F
4 weeks to 5 weeks: 75 degrees F
2 weeks to 3 weeks:
85 degrees F
5 weeks to 6 weeks: 70 degrees F
(Chicks are too cold if they are huddling in the corner and chirping loudly. They are too
warm if they have their wings spread and mouth open and they are panting.)
4. Make sure your chicks have fresh air, proper ventilation, and lighting.
(Make sure the chicks get plenty of air and that it is not too stuffy in their housing
space. If in a box with a lid, occasionally open the lid and let the chick breathe in
fresh air often or cut small holes in the top of the box. Same applies to if kept in
brooder). For first 48 hours keep light constant. After 48 hours use natural lighting.
5. Make sure your chicks have enough space:
During first 5 weeks:……………….. Each Chick needs one-half square foot or more
6-8 weeks:…………………………………… Each chick need one square foot of space
Once laying eggs:……………………….. Each chicken will need at least three square feet
6. Make sure your chicks are safe.
The box or brooder should not be kept on a table (it could fall) or where other animals
(cat, dog, bird, etc.) can get it. Also remember that heat lamps can start fires.
7. Have fun, but REMEMBER that this chick is a living animal.
Be nice to it, hold it gently, and be quiet around it!
Timeline
Week 1-4: Stay in their box or brooder inside the house. Week 4: Build an outside pen for
your chicks where nothing can get to it. Be sure that the chicks cannot fit through the
cracks and nothing can get into their cage. Week 20: Your chickens may begin laying eggs.
Keith Bridges
UT Evaluation & Staff Development, Youth Development
Kbridges8@utk.edu
UT/TSU Extension – Hamilton County 4-H
6183 Adamson Circle
Chattanooga, TN 37416-3648
Phone: (423) 855-6113
Website: http://hamilton.tennessee.edu
Use one quart automatic waterer for first week and remember to insert marbles in the trough. The idea
with the marbles is to fill the trough so that they can get water, but can't drown in it. Waterers should
be rinsed and refreshed every day. Bad bacteria can grow quickly in chick waterers and chicks get
food or poopies in there. The best way to make sure they have the cleanest freshest water around is to
have extra waterers, and every 1-2 days trade them out and run the dirty one through the dishwasher to
sanitize it. The marbles can be soaked in a mild bleach solution and scrubbed. They only need the
marbles for the first week or so, until they are big enough. Clean fresh water is key to healthy babies.
Chick Age
0-6 weeks
6-20 weeks
Started laying eggs
Feeder
Feed Type
Medium size & 2 inches of space
Chick Starter
Increase size & depth as growing
Chicken Grower
Increase size & depth as growing
Layer Feed
NEVER FEED SCRATCH
Estimated amount of Feed needed
50 lbs. for 12 chicks
200 lbs. for 12 chickens
About 25 lbs. a week for 12 chickens
*Black dot = Heat Lamp
JUST RIGHT
TOO HOT
TOO COLD
TOO DRAFTY
Contented peep & evenly
distributed chicks indicate
comfortable conditions
If the chicks move away from the
heat source with wings spread,
mouth open while panting, and
appear drowsy then temperature
is too warm
If too cold the chicks
will chirp & pile under
the heat lamp
When chick chirp and form a
wedge there is a draft
Brooder Requirements (Waterers, Feeders, Lighting/Heat, Barrier)
Keith Bridges, UT/TSU Extension – Hamilton County 4-H, UT Evaluation & Staff Development