Mia Patel
Newly hatched chicks are fragile but also inherently resilient. They don't need food or water during the first 48 hours as they absorb the yolk during the hatching process. It's best to keep them in an incubator for rest and warmth for the first 24-48 hours. After that, they can be transferred to a brooder, a heated enclosure that will be their home for the next few weeks. The brooder should be warm, dry, draft-free, and safe from predators. It should also contain a heat source, clean water in a chick-sized waterer, bedding, and a feeder. Chicks need to be taught how to drink by gently dipping their beaks in the water. Chicks should be fed a chick starter feed from day one through week 18, with at least 18% protein.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Food | No food is needed during the first 48 hours as they have absorbed the yolk during the hatching process. After this, feed them a chick starter feed with at least 18% protein. |
| Water | Water is the most important element starting on day 3. Use a chick-sized waterer to avoid the risk of drowning. |
| Housing | Keep them in an incubator for 24-48 hours, then move them to a brooder (heated enclosure) which should be at least 3-4 square feet per chick. |
| Temperature | The brooder should be warm and draft-free. The temperature under the light should be about 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit for the first week, then decrease the temperature by 5 degrees each week. |
| Bedding | Use newspaper, hay, or aspen shavings. Cover with paper towels for the first 5 days to give the chicks traction to develop their legs. |
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What You'll Learn
Keep the chick in an incubator for 24-48 hours
Keeping a chick in an incubator for 24-48 hours after it has hatched is a common practice. This is because the chick is very weak when it first hatches and will need time to rest and dry off. During this time, the chick does not need food or water as it has absorbed the yolk during the hatching process.
It is important to note that the incubator is not a very hospitable environment for a live bird, and some sources suggest taking the chick out as soon as it is dry to prevent the chick from catching a chill. Additionally, leaving the hatched chicks in the incubator may encourage the others to hatch faster.
When removing the chick from the incubator, it is important to be careful and gentle as they are fragile. It is also important to ensure that the chick is completely dry before attempting to feed it.
To provide water to the chick while it is in the incubator, fill a small jar lid or cap with fresh, clean water and place it inside. Ensure that the water level is extremely shallow to avoid drowning the chick.
It is recommended to have a brooder (a heated enclosure or box) set up close to the incubator before transferring the chick. The brooder should be around 1-2 square feet in size and include a heat source, clean water, bedding, and a feeder.
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Provide water in a shallow jar lid
It is important to provide water to newly hatched chicks, but they do not need to be fed or given water during the first 48 hours. In fact, they eat the yolk and the membrane of their egg shell right after hatching, which provides them with valuable nutrients. However, getting them a little water within the first 24 hours of their life is never a bad idea.
To do this, fill a small jar lid or cap with some fresh, clean water and place it inside the incubator. Make sure that the water level is extremely shallow to avoid the risk of the chicks drowning. You can also add gravel or marbles to the water to prevent this.
After the first 24-48 hours, the chicks can be moved to a brooder, which should have a heat source, clean water, bedding, and a feeder. The water should be placed in a specially designed baby chicken waterer, as an adult-sized waterer can be dangerous. Chicks do not know how to drink yet, so you can help them by gently dipping their beaks in the water. This should be done with each individual chick. From then on, they should be able to drink on their own.
Make sure the water stays clean, as dust and feathers can easily contaminate it. Change the water daily.
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Use a brooder box with bedding and a heat source
Once your chicks have hatched, you can transfer them to a brooder box—a heated enclosure or box that will be their home for the coming weeks. The brooder box should be set up at least 48 hours before the chicks arrive to allow time for the bedding and equipment to dry and the temperature to set. The recommended size is around 1-2 square feet of floor space per chick, though some sources recommend 3-4 square feet. In the beginning, you can get away with less space, but keep in mind that chicks grow quickly.
The brooder box should be warm, dry, and draft-free, with a bedding of newspaper, hay, or aspen shavings (available at pet stores). Cover the bedding with paper towels for the first five days, as this gives the chicks the traction they need to develop their legs. The box should also contain a chick-sized feeder and a chick-sized waterer.
The brooder box should have a heat source, such as a heating plate made especially for chickens or a heat lamp. The temperature under the light should be about 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit for the first week, with the rest of the box a little cooler. A small thermometer will give you an accurate reading to get a baseline of the brooder temperature. However, one of the best ways to measure the temperature is to watch your chicks. If they are too hot, they will pant and stay away from the light. If they are cold, they will huddle together under the heat source. Adjust the distance of the light or the wattage of the bulb until the temperature is right. After the first week, you can raise the light to decrease the temperature by 5 degrees each week until the chicks have their feathers.
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Feed chicks a chick starter with 18% protein
When chicks first hatch, they are inherently fragile but also resilient. They will be exhausted from the hatching process, so it's important to leave them in the incubator for 24-48 hours to rest and dry off. During this time, they don't need any food or water as they have already absorbed the yolk. After this initial period, you can transfer them to a brooder, a heated enclosure that will be their home for the next few weeks.
Now, let's discuss feeding your newly hatched chicks. It is recommended to feed them a chick starter with 18% protein. This feed is specifically designed to meet the nutritional needs of young chickens, supporting their overall health, growth, and development. Here are some detailed instructions and guidelines for feeding your chicks:
Choosing the Right Feed
Select a chick starter feed that is specifically formulated for newly hatched chicks. Look for options with 18% protein content to ensure they get the right amount of nutrients to support their growth. You can find these specialised feeds at feed stores, local farms, or online retailers.
Feeding Schedule
Fill a low-lying chick feeder with the chick starter feed. Keep the feeder full, and the chicks will eat when they are hungry. It is important to ensure that the feeder is designed specifically for chicks to prevent any accidents or issues. You should not let the feeders run empty, so be sure to keep them well-stocked.
Water Availability
In addition to feed, always provide clean, fresh water for your chicks. Use a chick drinker/waterer designed specifically for baby chickens to prevent drowning. Change the water daily, or more frequently if needed, to maintain cleanliness and prevent contamination from dust and feathers.
Transitioning to New Feed
Chick starter feed should be the sole diet for your chicks until they are around 16 weeks old or when they begin to lay eggs. At this point, you can gradually transition them to a complete layer diet or other specialised feeds designed for adult chickens, such as layer feed, free-range egg producer, or feather fixer.
Hygiene and Maintenance
Regularly clean the feeders and waterers to maintain good hygiene and prevent the spread of bacteria. Additionally, ensure that the brooder enclosure remains clean and well-maintained, providing adequate space for your growing chicks.
By following these guidelines and feeding your chicks a chick starter with 18% protein, you'll be able to support their health and development during their critical early stages of life.
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Handle chicks carefully and minimise handling
When handling newly hatched chicks, it is important to be very careful and minimise handling. Chicks are naturally fragile immediately after hatching, and the process of breaking out of their eggs is exhausting for them. They will likely lie close to the egg for about eight hours before they start to move around, and you should not try to feed them until they are completely dry and have been moved from the incubator. It is recommended that you keep them in the incubator for 24 to 48 hours to rest and stay warm. During this time, they will also finish absorbing the yolk they need during the hatching process, so no food or water is required.
After the first 24 hours, you can provide a small amount of water in a shallow container, such as a jar lid, to avoid the risk of drowning. You can also introduce the chicks to a water source by gently dipping their beaks in the water. This should be done with each individual chick. After this, they should be able to drink on their own, but you should ensure the water stays clean and is changed daily.
You can start introducing food around day three. Provide 'starter feed' through a low-lying chick feeder, and don't worry about the amount of food you give them. Keep the feeder full, and they will eat when they are hungry.
It is important to provide a warm, dry, and draft-free environment for the chicks, safe from predators. This can be a simple cardboard box lined with newspaper, hay, or aspen shavings, with paper towels on top for the first five days. The paper towels provide the traction needed for the chicks to develop their legs. The brooder box should have at least 3 to 4 square feet of space per chick, a heat source, bedding, and a feeder. The temperature under the light should be about 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit for the first week, and you can adjust the distance of the light or the wattage of the bulb to maintain the correct temperature.
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Frequently asked questions
Keep the chicks in the incubator for 24-48 hours. During this time, they will rest and dry off.
Place them in a brooder (a heated enclosure or box). The brooder should be warm, dry, and draft-free, with at least 3-4 square feet of space per chick.
The temperature under the light should be about 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit for the first week. If the chicks huddle together under the light, they may be cold, and if they stay away from it, the box might be too hot.
The chicks will eat the yolk and membrane of their eggshell right after hatching, so they don't need food or water for the first 24-48 hours. After this period, you can introduce water and starter feed.
Provide a chick starter feed with at least 18% protein. This should be offered from day one through week 18.
