Before the chicks arrive
- Clean and disinfect the house. Remove old litter, wash and disinfect, then leave the house empty to dry out.
- Lay fresh litter. Spread dry wood shavings about 5 cm deep. Cover them with paper for the first few days so chicks eat feed, not shavings.
- Set up a brooder ring. A ring of cardboard or hardboard keeps the chicks close to heat, feed and water and stops draughts along the floor.
- Light the heat early. Start the heat source a few hours before the chicks come, so the litter itself is warm.
- Fill the drinkers. Have clean water with glucose or a vitamin mix ready, at room temperature.
Arrival day
- Water first. Dip a few beaks in the water so the others copy them. Give feed an hour or two later.
- Count and check. Count the chicks as you unpack and look for bright eyes, dry fluff and active legs.
- Check their crops at night. Feel a few chicks before dark. A soft, full crop means they have found feed and water.
- Keep the light on. Bright light in the first days helps chicks find feed and water.
Brooder temperature for each week
| Age | Temperature | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 32 to 34 °C | Warm the brooder before arrival. Water first, then starter feed. |
| Week 2 | 29 to 31 °C | Widen the brooder ring and add drinkers. |
| Week 3 | 26 to 28 °C | Feathers are coming through. Add fresh, dry litter. |
| Week 4 | 23 to 25 °C | Most birds manage without extra heat by day. Keep draughts off at night. |
Let the chicks tell you
A thermometer helps, but the chicks are the best guide.
- Huddled under the heat and cheeping loudly: they are cold. Add heat or lower the lamp.
- Pressed against the edge of the ring, panting: they are too hot. Raise the lamp or reduce the heat.
- Crowded to one side: there is a draught. Find it and block it.
- Spread evenly, eating and drinking quietly: the temperature is right.
Common mistakes
- Putting chicks into a cold house and lighting the heat afterwards.
- Letting drinkers run dry, or leaving wet litter around them.
- Keeping too many chicks in a small ring for too long.
- Closing the house completely. Chicks need fresh air, without a draught at floor level.
- Missing the first vaccinations. Ask us what your batch has had, then follow your vet's schedule.
When to call a vet. Call quickly if chicks stop eating, stand with drooping wings, have pasted vents or bloody droppings, or if several die in one day.
Questions farmers ask
What temperature do day-old chicks need?
Day-old chicks need 32 to 34 degrees Celsius in the first week. Reduce the temperature by about 3 degrees each week until the birds no longer need extra heat at around four weeks.
What should I give day-old chicks first, water or feed?
Water first. Give clean water with glucose or a vitamin mix on arrival, then starter feed an hour or two later.
How long do chicks need heat?
About four weeks in Ghana. By then they have enough feathers to manage in the daytime, though they still need protection from cold draughts at night.