Mother hens keep their chicks warm by sitting on them, but when we raise chicks in a brooder, we must find other ways to keep the tiny birds warm. Therefore, it’s crucial to have a heat source and a thermometer in a chicken brooder so that you can control the temperature.
For the 1st week, a chicken brooder should remain at a temperature of about 95°F. The temperature can be reduced to 90°F in the 2nd week and further lowered by 5°F each consecutive week. By week 6, the brooder should be at room temperature (70°F). Thereafter, it must stay between 65 and 70°F.
Right after the baby chicks hatch, they are still much too small to regulate their own body temperature. It is important to keep the brooder at the right temperature to keep the chicks comfortable and prevent developmental problems. This article discusses how to keep a chicken brooder at the correct temperature to get baby chicks off to the best possible start.
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How Warm Should A Chicken Brooder Be?
When baby chicks hatch, the incubator should be set to a toasty 100°F. This is about the same temperature that chicks are kept underneath a mother hen.
Before you move chicks to a brooder, it is critical to pre-heat the brooder and get it to 95°F. For the first week that the chicks are in the brooder, the temperature should remain at 95°F.
Brooder Temperature For Broiler Chicks Vs. Layer Chicks
Broiler chicks from meat breeds are generally a bit larger than chicks from layer breeds. They also grow quicker and produce their own body heat.
Therefore, the brooder temperature can be slightly lower for broiler chicks. Start them off at 90°F. But for layer chicks, the brooder temperature needs to be 95°F.
Reduce The Temperature In A Chicken Brooder Each Week
As the baby chicks grow, you need to gradually reduce the temperature inside the brooder. It is important not to suddenly let the temperature drop, because this can shock the chicks.
The temperature needs to be lowered weekly by 5°F:
- Week 1: 95°F
- Week 2: 90°F
- Week 3: 85°F
- Week 4: 80°F
- Week 5: 75°F
- Week 6: 70°F
- Week 7 and onwards: 65°F to 70°F
By week six, the baby chicks will be accustomed to room temperature (70°F), but this does not mean you should switch the heat lamp in the brooder off.
Chicks usually have a full coat of feathers by week 11 or 12. This is the point where they can start regulating their own body temperature.
Monitor The Brooder Temperature Carefully!
It is essential to have a thermometer in a chicken brooder so that you can monitor and control the temperature. It is best to get a few thermometers and place them at various points around the brooder.
Some areas in the brooder will be warmer, while others are cooler. Directly around the heat source, the temperature is warmest (close to 90-95°F), but the air temperature further away from the heat lamp can be around 82°F.
Chicks will move around the brooder to stay comfortable. When they are feeling cold, they stay close to the heat source, and when they are too hot, they stay far away from it.
Watching the chicks’ behavior is the best indicator of whether the brooder is at the right temperature.
How To Know If Chicks Are Too Hot In The Brooder
It is easy to tell if the temperature is too hot inside the brooder. Look for the following signs:
- Chicks gather as far away from the heat source as possible.
- Chicks make sharp, distressing noises.
- Some chicks may open their beaks to pant and lie with spread wings on the ground.
If you see this behavior, you need to raise the heat lamp slightly to lower the temperature in the brooder.
How To Tell If Chicks Are Too Cold In The Brooder
If chicks are too cold inside the brooder, you will see the following behavior:
- Chicks huddle together near the heat source.
- Chicks peep loudly and sound distressed.
When you notice the chicks displaying these behaviors, you must lower the heat lamp in order to increase the temperature in the brooder.
You also need to check that there is no draught through the brooder that is cooling it down.
How To Tell If Chicks Are Comfortable In The Brooder
When the temperature is just right inside the brooder and the chicks are perfectly comfortable, you should hear soft peeping noises, and the chicks will be evenly distributed in the brooder. You will see them moving around, feeding, and exploring their environment.
Why Is It Important To Keep Baby Chicks Warm?
It is critical that baby chicks are kept at the right temperature because if the brooder is too hot or too cold, the little birds can suffer health complications.
If the brooder is too hot for an extended period, the following will happen:
- Chicks will quickly become dehydrated.
- The stress causes them to eat less.
- Chicks’ growth rate slows down.
- The chicks are far more likely to get sick.
It is just as detrimental for the chicks when the temperature in the brooder is too cold. The following happens to chilly chicks:
- Chicks do not eat and drink enough.
- Their growth rate slows.
- Chicks are more prone to sickness.
How To Heat A Chicken Brooder
There are three methods of heating a chicken brooder:
- An infrared heat lamp*.
- A heating plate*.
- Warming the room that the brooder is in with a space heater.
The first method is the most popular for people who are raising small batches of chicks. A 250-watt red bulb is suspended 18 to 24 inches above the brooder.
Radiant brooder lamps are growing in popularity because they are safer to use than infrared bulbs. A hot bulb in a cardboard brooder with flammable bedding is a fire risk.
Height-adjustable heat plates simulate the behavior of the hen and the chicks can snuggle underneath. If you’re not sure if a heat lamp or heating plate is right for your chicks, here’s a full comparison between the two methods.
Some people find it easier to simply heat the entire room that the brooder is in using a space heater or hot water pipes. This is quite practical if the brooder is in a barn or a shed.
Conclusion
Ideally, you need to keep a chicken brooder at a temperature between 90 and 95°F for the first week. Thereafter the temperature can be reduced by 5°F each week. Always keep an eye on the baby chicks’ behavior to judge their comfort level!
