How to Care for Chicks Born in an Incubator

A brooder replaces a hen when raising baby chicks.

When chicks are hatched in an incubator, there is no hen to provide warmth or care. A brooder is designed to provide a warm, safe and draft-free environment for young chicks. A balanced and easy-to-consume diet and fresh, clean water are additional requirements. The newly hatched chicks are moved from incubator to brooder when they are completely dry. Baby chicks do not require food or water for 48 hours after hatching, but they should enter the brooder as soon as possible. Chicks usually remain in a brooder until they are 6 weeks old.

Things You'll Need

• cardboard box, wooden box or 4 standard size (4-feet and 8-feet) sheets of plywood 1/2-inch thick
• 4 pieces of wood 2-inches by 4-inches by 4-feet to secure corners of plywood box
• screws or nails to attach the plywood at the corners
• source of heat such as a 60-watt to 75-watt light bulb or 250-watt heat lamp
• thermometer
• litter such as wood chips or chopped straw
• chick starter feed
• feed trays
• chick waterer

Instructions

1. Construct an enclosure to contain the chicks. The enclosure may be as simple as a cardboard or wooden box for a small number of chicks. Four sheets of 1/2-inch standard size (4-feet by 8-feet) plywood, made into a square and secured at each corner with 2-inch by 4-inch boards and nails or screws, will provide housing for up to 64 chicks.

2. Place the enclosure in a draft-free room or building. Ensure the room is free from cats and other predators and remains dry.

3. Provide a source of heat for the brooder. A 60 to 75-watt light bulb will provide sufficient heat for a small number of chicks. Heat lamps with porcelain sockets are often used for large numbers of chicks.

4. Place a thermometer near the source of heat and adjust the heat so the brooder is 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit for newly hatched chicks. Drop the brooder temperature by 5 degrees each week until room temperature is reached.

5. Cover the bottom of the enclosure with a thick layer of litter. Clean pine shavings and chopped straw work well. Place a layer of newspaper over the bedding for the first one to two days so the chicks can distinguish between the food and the bedding.

6. Purchase commercial chick starter to provide nutrition for the chicks. Chick starter provides a balanced diet. Place the chick starter in trays or chick feeders.

7. Provide water in chick waterers or fountains. Feed stores sell chick fountains that screw onto the bottom of quart or pint canning jars and metal or plastic waterers. Match the size of the chicks with the depth of the water so the chicks will not drown.

8. Watch the chick behavior closely. The chicks should be randomly spaced throughout the brooder. Raise the temperature if the chicks are huddled under the source of heat. Reduce the temperature if the chicks stay in the far corners and appear to be panting.

Tips & Warnings

• Follow the heat lamp directions closely to prevent creating a fire hazard.

References

• University of Minnesota Extension: Hatching and Brooding Small Numbers of Chicks
• University of Missouri Extension: Small Flock Series: Brooding and Growing Chicks
• Purdue Department of Animal Sciences: Poultry: A Guide for Housing, Brooding, and Handling Chicks Safely
• The Ohio State University: After the Chicks Hatch