Managing a Chicken Brooder
An effective chicken brooder simulates the warm and protective environment provided by a hen to her young brood. The successful brooder has many safeguards to take into account to keep the chicks happy, healthy, and safe. The mother hen provides a safe haven from predators, warmth against her body, sleep in the quiet darkness under her wing, and nutrition by showing them to food and water sources. To create and manage a successful brooder, it is important to consider all of these levels of care that a broody hen would provide with ample space for the chicks to grow.
Heat
When using an incubator, the chicks are hatched in a fairly warm environment. I typically hatch at a temperature between 97.6°F and 99.6°F (36.4°C and 37.6°C) according to the directions from my Brinsea cabinet. The newly hatched chicks will remain in the hatcher about 24 hours, until the whole hatch is complete and to protect any pipping eggs from getting too cold or dry by opening the door. The brooder temperature typically starts at 95°F (35°C) when chicks are moved in from the hatcher. Setting the brooder temperature doesn’t necessarily require a thermometer. A heat lamp can be placed 16 to 24 inches above the floor while monitoring the activity of the chicks; they will naturally huddle together if they are cold. Chicks that chirp loudly or pile on top of one another are also indicators that the brooder is too cold. Check for drafts and increase the heat. Allow the birds to have plenty of area to get closer or farther away from the heat source as needed. Observing chicks that sleep without touching one another or press tightly to the exterior walls are indications that the brooder is too hot. Be conscious of hot summer days that may cause the brooder temperature to become unbearable. Adjust the temperature day and night accordingly when expecting large temperature swings.
Decrease the brooder temperature weekly in 5°F (3°C) increments. Raising a heat lamp about 3 inches in a room temperature environment will work well. Brooders based on radiant heat will record a little cooler on a thermometer reading. Follow the manufacturer’s directions. The birds will use the heat source less as they get older and become fully feathered.
Food
Provide ample amounts of fresh food and water daily. Check the crop on baby birds during their first 24 hours in the brooder, ensuring that each bird is eating and drinking well. Birds with a flat crop can be enticed to eat by dropping individual grains of food onto a white paper towel. This method seems to entice the bird’s natural sense of foraging. Feeding on a white paper towel also mimics live feed as each step of the chick on the paper towel sets the feed in motion. Small live mealworms can also be purchased at pet supply stores and kept in the refrigerator until needed. Warming the small mealworms up to room temperature increases the worm’s activity level, encouraging the bird to eat.
Water
Dip each bird’s beak tip into water, showing them the location and leaving them standing at the water source. Smaller, bantam chicks will benefit from shallow bowls of water for the first week filled with glass marbles or glass pebbles that can be purchased from a craft store. Deeper, even ½ inch water sources, can lead to drowning of the smaller bantam breeds.
Flooring
Standard size chicks that are well adjusted to eating and drinking can be moved directly into a battery-style brooder right away. When raising smaller batches, I do not care to place baby chicks on either wire or shavings right away. Smaller bantam birds seem to do better on solid flooring. I am worried that some of the hatchlings will eat shavings and the others just scratch and fling it into the water containers, so I typically start with thin towels like flour sack material and then top with a single layer of paper towels, making it easy to monitor changes in their feces and maintain an ultraclean environment. Shavings and straw can be used as they get a little older and stronger.
Predators
From mink, foxes, raccoons, and rats to the common household cat or dog, baby chicks are easy prey. Make sure that either your building is vermin proof or the container the birds are in is secure. A concrete slab will prevent animals from digging in and a mesh covered enclosure can keep birds of prey out of open air pens. When raising young birds in temporary containers, a heavy wire mesh can keep a secure cover on a box-type enclosure without compromising ventilation.
Light/Dark Cycle
Make sure your birds are getting 8 hours of sleep per 24 hour day in a dark environment. A heat lamp with a red light bulb is optimal; the color red is not visible by the birds, simulating nighttime and darkness. The birds will settle down to sleep if they think it is dark and get their needed rest. Subsequently, provide plenty of white light during the other 12 to 16 hours of the day to ensure that the birds are awake, and eating and drinking for optimal growth. A white light heat lamp used around the clock will not allow for optimal sleep patterns and should not be used in the brooder unless it is on a timer. Be leery of rooms with lights that automatically shut off, causing extreme periods of darkness; these chicks may be subjected to malnutrition if they do not have enough time in the day allocated towards eating and drinking.
Winter
A well-insulated building will help to ensure that your brooder area can hold enough heat and remain draft-free. Preheat the area before introducing the new chicks. Ensure the floors are dry and well bedded to prevent chilling. Birds drink small amounts of water all day, so make sure the overall room is warm enough to prevent waterers from freezing. Our clients are using seamless rubber roofing materials, waterproof tarps and coated sheeting materials as a floor base in their homemade brooder areas successfully. These materials keep chicks up off of the cold concrete and facilitate easy clean out and disinfection practices. Regardless of the size of your brood, be sure to always provide a second heat source in colder weather, in case one bulb burns out.
Happy Brooding!
