this page contains basic care information

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Being a new chick owner can seem a little daunting because there’s so much to learn when you start something new, but don’t let that put you off giving it a go. 

It’s normal to want to inspect every inch of your new chicks and sometimes there’s little surprises that you never knew existed - just like this chick here…. 

Can you spot it? 

That’s right - the little umbilical stump which is essentially the same as a human babies belly button. 

With a chick, they generally disappear pretty quickly but in day old chicks they can be quite visible like you will see in this photo. 

It’s perfectly normal and absolutely natural for this little stump to be here and for the super duper beginners  - please don’t pick it off! It will go away on its own within a day or so and while it’s doing that it’s protecting the chick from any bacteria entering the chicks body.

Getting the height of your heat plate right is important to ensure your chicks are provided with the optimum and correct amount of heat for their age. 

Luckily, they’re very easy to adjust and you can raise them up very gradually each week as your chicks grow. 

Initially, you want to place it at a height so when the chick walks under it, the top of the chick is just brushing against the plate. When the chick lays down there is a small gap between the top of the chick and the plate. 

The chick does not need to be directly in contact with the plate to receive adequate heat but must not be too far away from it either. You can also note the behaviour of your chicks and if they are chirping very loudly it often means they’re cold. If they are struggling to fit under then your plate is too low and they could be getting hot.

Keeping your chicks warm - I can not stress the importance of this enough!

Newly hatched chicks need a temperature of 35-37 degrees to survive as they are not able to regulate their own temperature.

If your chicks are cold, they will die. There’s simply no other way to put it. This is why we ask you about your brooder set up when you are purchasing chicks, even if you have raised them beforehand.

Another important thing to consider that even experienced people forget, is that the brooder set up you used in Summer is probably not warm enough to use in Winter even if you use it in the house. Sometimes switching out one heat globe with a warmer one is perfect, but that all depends on your set up and what the brooder is made from.

Personally, I very much dislike the plastic bottom, full mesh top cheap brooders that are often purchased. Even with a quality heat plate, they do not keep the chicks warm enough, because of the heat loss of the plastic and the incoming draughts from the full open mesh top. Sadly, when these, or other poorly designed brooders are used, chicks die.

We have been breeding and raising chickens for over 16 years and have designed what we feel is the perfect brooder , which we make and you can purchase from us.
There’s a few options so you can customise it to suit your needs and preferences as well. Here’s the link for our online store, or you can come and have a look at them in our farm shop

Vaccinating chicks against coccidiosis is a critical step in poultry health management, which is why all of our chicks are now vaccinated against it which means there’s a few things you need to know.

Coccidiosis is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Eimeria, which can damage the intestinal lining, leading to poor growth, reduced feed efficiency, and often mortality. It’s one of the most common reasons chicks die and is especially prevalent in humid and damp conditions. It can spread fast and damage chicks for life if you catch it quick enough to save them. 

The vaccine stimulates the chicks immune system to develop resistance to Eimeria species. This provides long term protection, eliminating the need for anticoccidial drugs in feed.
It’s important to not feed chicks medicated feed when they have been vaccinated against coccsidiosis as it will interfere with the vaccine’s effectiveness. 

For feed, the Green Valley Grains range is perfect and we have both the starter/grower mash and starter crumble in stock at our farm shop. It also has the added benefit of ProN8ure which is a multi strain probiotic, which further supports their immune systems and inner health.

For all other vaccines,  information or administration, please contact your vet

How long do chicks need to stay under heat for?

That is a great question however there’s no hard and fast answer , but more a guide….

There’s one major factor that will change the length of time quite considerably .
Can you guess what that is?
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Did you guess the time of year?  If so, you are exactly right! 

So as a general guide in the heat of summer , chicks can often not need heat once they turn about four weeks old and have the vast majority of their feathers. In summer you will find that chicks tend to feather up a lot quicker because it is generally a lot warmer.

In winter your chicks may need up to 10 weeks of heat before you can remove it entirely. Often by the time they’re around 8 weeks you can get away with turning the heat off during the day and back on overnight.

In spring and autumn , depending on the particular season we’re having it’s somewhere in between. 

Rushing your growing chicks out of the  brooder and into a pen can cause issues if they are not ready so an intermediate grow out enclosure is ideal. Basically, this is a larger but very sheltered area that your chicks will spend a number of weeks in before going into a regular chicken pen environment. 

So there you have it , chicks need heat from somewhere between 4  weeks to 10 weeks depending on the time of year we are in.