When baby chicks hatch, they need additional warmth. Their body heat alone is not enough to keep them warm. Without additional heat, they can become chilled and stressed, and if it goes too long, they can become ill or die.
When a broody hen hatches her eggs, the hen instinctively knows how to give the baby chicks the right amount of extra warmth. She keeps them warm with her own body heat by keeping the chicks near her, or under her, or under her wing. As they grow older and their adult feathers begin to come in, they begin to need less and less heat, and the hen lets them spend more and more time away from her.
When you order chicks from us or hatch your own chicks in an incubator, you have to supply them the warmth that they need. A heat lamp works great for this, (just be careful to get one that is safe to use with the chicks — if in doubt, you can order a heat lamp or brooder from us). The table below shows the temperature to keep the baby chicks at as they grow.
Week 1: 90-95 F
Week 2: 85-90 F
Week 3: 80-85 F
Week 4: 75-80 F
Week 5: 70-75 F
Week 6: 70 F
After the sixth week, you won’t need to supply any extra heat, unless it is unusually cold.
Like the mother hen, you can also tell whether your chicks are too hot or too cold by watching them. If they huddle together under the heat lamp, they are too cold. If they scatter away from the heat lamp and avoid the area directly under it, they are too warm. If they are evenly and randomly spread throughout the brooder, they are just right.
For more information about raising baby chicks, see our instructions on how to care for your baby chicks.
FAQs
Newly hatched chicks need to be maintained at 95°F for the first week of their lives. After the first week, chicks can tolerate temperatures 5°F cooler for each week until they are four weeks old. In other words, one week old chicks can tolerate 90°F and two week old chicks can tolerate 85°F.
What temperature is too cold for baby chicks? ›
Comfortable human homes are 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit too cold for baby chickens. The ideal temperature for chicks, seven days old or younger, is 95 degrees F. Week two is 90, week three is 85. Each week declines by five degrees until chicks are ready to live outside.
How long can chicks go without heat? ›
Ideally, chicks will not require a heat source when moving from brooder to coop. If the temperatures outside remain above 65°F and the chicks are at least 6 weeks old, they can move into the coop without supplemental heat.
Is 60 degrees too cold for baby chicks? ›
Cold stress
Most poultry can maintain their body temperatures when the environmental temperature is between 60 and 75 degrees F. Within this range, poultry produce and lose body heat in balance. Proper care during cold weather is key to keeping your chickens happy and healthy.
Do baby chicks need light at night? ›
Lighting for baby chicks
Using shallow-dome reflectors such as aluminum pie plates, or bulbs with built-in reflectors will improve the distribution of light within the house. Some growers suggest 23 hours of light and at least one hour of darkness in the first few days in order to accustom the chicks to a dark period.
Are quiet chicks happy chicks? ›
Happy chicks are quiet chicks. When they are too warm, they may pant and stay away from the heat source.
Do baby chicks get cold easily? ›
Newly hatched chicks need to be maintained at 95°F for the first week of their lives. After the first week, chicks can tolerate temperatures 5°F cooler for each week until they are four weeks old. In other words, one week old chicks can tolerate 90°F and two week old chicks can tolerate 85°F.
Can I leave a heat lamp on all night? ›
Are Heat Lamps Safe to Leave on All Night? No: it's not safe to use a heat lamp at night when there is no one to monitor it. While it's inevitable to run into situations when you need a lamp (potentially all night long), it's imperative to use it properly and follow the specific label directions.
Do you leave the brooder light on all the time? ›
Typically, it's best to keep the brooder light on for 6-12 weeks and make sure that the chickens are fully feathered out before removing the light. Once chickens are fully feathered, they should be able to keep themselves warm as long as they are out of the wind and cold weather.
Is it safe to leave a heat lamp on 24/7? ›
Both of these are very flammable, and heating a brooder 24/7 can result in disaster. Every so often there is a story in the news about a barn or even a house that burned down because of a heating lamp. Fire safety and energy efficiency are two factors to take into consideration when choosing your heat source.
You might have seen one of the most common alternatives, a brooder plate, next to the heat lamps at the feed store. There are more and more brooder plates that you see being used. They work well and chicks like them. Most importantly they are safe.
When to put chicks in a coop? ›
Patrick Biggs, Ph.D. 6-week-old chickens should be ready to move from the brooder to the chicken coop if the outdoor temperature is at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Make the transition from the brooder to the chicken coop slowly so chicks can acclimate to their new home.
What temperature is too cold for chickens at night? ›
The answer is - it depends. Chickens are comfortable at temperatures as low as 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit but can withstand subzero temperatures with a draft-free shelter. However, it is important to note that the actual temperature tolerance of chickens depends on various factors such as breed, age and overall health.
What is the best way to warm chicks? ›
Chicks raised by a broody hen receive this heat by tucking themselves under their mother's feathers. When raising chicks by hand, we must provide an artificial heat source to take the place of the mother hen. Heat lamps and brooder plates are the two most common heat sources used when raising baby chicks.
What temperature can 4 week old chicks handle? ›
Chicks are still growing during weeks 4 and 5 and aren't quite ready to go outside yet, until they are fully feathered. Prevent crowding by ensuring 1–2 square feet per bird. The temperature should now be between 70–75°F to help the chicks get ready to move outside.
When baby chicks hatch, they need additional warmth. Their body heat alone is not enough to keep them warm. Without additional heat, they can become chilled and stressed, and if it goes too long, they can become ill or die.