I was so anxious when I brought home my very first chickens from the feed store. Sure, I did all my research and had all the ‘right’ supplies – but I didn’t know what I was doing at all. I crossed my fingers, said a prayer, and dove into owning a flock of 25 Silver-Laced Wyandottes.

After 9 years, a couple hundred chickens, and many, many fresh eggs later, it turns out that this was a great choice! My chickens are fun, friendly, entertaining, and they deliver plenty of tasty eggs. But I want to help you get a confident start – so you spend more time enjoying the fun of chicken keeping and less time fretting. Stick to the basics, and I promise you’ve got this!

Chickens need the same basic things that people do: water, food, shelter, and protection from predators.  And while they aren’t too picky, their needs do change over time. Just relax, follow some common sense guidelines, and enjoy your chickens!

Chicks

Most backyard chicken keepers start with a small box of baby chicks they impulsively bought at the feed store. How can you resist? They’re just so cute! But before you bring home your first batch of baby chicks, you’ll need a few essential items on hand. You can purchase them from your feed store, order them online, or likely even scrounge them up out of your garage.

When I get a batch of chicks, I like to keep them in the house when they are tiny. They aren’t too messy at this stage, and they don’t require a lot of room. I find it’s easier to keep them warm and safe from predators this way, and it gives us easy access to the chicks to keep an eye on their needs and socialize them. Remember not to overhandle your chicks in the first couple of days, until they acclimate to their surroundings. And always supervise young children around your chicks (we know, they’re just so irresistible!). 

However, if I have hens raising their own chicks, I’ll separate them from the flock by putting them in a small outdoor coop or a dog kennel in the garage. This keeps them safe but gives mom plenty of space to care for her babies. And she’ll do all the hard work! 

Shelter: A Simple Brooder.

A brooder is just a fancy name for the cage you’ll keep your chicks in when they are tiny. There are plenty of options, especially when they are small. 

The most important part of a brooder is that it is draft-free, has a solid floor, and is dry. My very first brooder was a large, galvanized tub from Tractor Supply because that’s what I saw other people using. But you don’t have to buy one, and in fact, they’re kind of expensive when you’re just starting. They’re bulky and heavy to transport and store, and there are lots of other options. 

I’ve also used a cardboard box, a plastic tote, a pet carrier, a folding dog pen, a tiny chicken coop, a bird cage with a solid floor, and a wooden box. Many sources say chicks need half a square foot of space per chick to start. But you don’t have to be too particular in the beginning. What they actually need is enough room for a heat source, a space to get away from the heat source, room for food and water, and a little space to move around. When they’re tiny, they can even get lost in a large cage, so smaller is actually better, at least for the first few days.

So, my favorite brooder for baby chicks is just a large plastic tote. They’re easy to clean, easy to store, and keep out drafts. I’ll keep as many as ten to twelve baby chicks inside one tote until they get cramped. I also like to keep an old window screen on top. This keeps the chicks in if they are hopping or flying and keeps any curious kitties or other pets out. Just make sure they can get some ventilation through the top (i.e., don’t put the plastic lid on and close them up.)

You’ll also want to put something in the bottom of your brooder to soak up the poo. I like to use pine shavings, but in a pinch, a layer of newspaper or paper towels will work. Change it out whenever it gets stinky, soiled, or wet. The more crowded the brooder, the more frequently you’ll need to clean it. 

Warmth

All baby chicks need a heat source if they aren’t with their mother hen.  Chicks will need a heat source until they are fully feathered, which happens around six weeks.  

When I started out, I used a heat lamp over one end of the galvanized tub. However, heat lamps are a fire risk and can overheat your chicks. They aren’t my favorite source of heat. 

If you are keeping your chicks inside, where it is temperature controlled, the best source of heat is a heat plate, like the Eco Glo Brooder. They are much safer than heat lamps, and the chicks can hide underneath them just like they would hide underneath the mother hen.

However, this type of heat only works above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, so if you’re keeping your chicks in an unheated garage, you might need a heat lamp if the temperatures get below that. 

Be sure that the heat source is compatible with your brooder. I wouldn’t use a heat lamp with a cardboard box because of the risk of fire. It could also melt a plastic tub. On the other hand, a heat lamp could overheat a galvanized tub, so you’ll have to find the right distance away if that is what you choose. The hottest spot under the lamp should be around 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

Position the heat source at one end of the brooder so the chicks can move to a cooler area if they get too hot. 

Check on your chicks – if they are huddled together and crying, they’re too cold. If they are spread out and sprawled out flat on the floor, they’re likely too hot. 

Food and Water

Baby chicks are notoriously messy, so you’ll need to check on their food and water from time to time. The easiest way to feed them is to use a chick feeder and waterer. These are inexpensive and available online or at your local feed store.

Keep the water bowl very shallow so the chicks don’t drown or get stuck in it. They need clean water at least once a day, and more often if they get it dirty. Generally, they just track lots of shavings in it, so you may have to scoop it out frequently once the chicks get active.

If you haven’t seen your chicks drink, you can gently dip just the tip of their beak into the water so they know where it is.

Did you know? Supplementing with Avaplex in your birds’ drinking water for the first seven days can help reduce chick mortality and give you stronger, healthier chicks.

Generally, I feed my chicks unmedicated chick starter crumbles. These are small and easy for them to eat. You can teach them its food by scratching in it, but if they came from the feed store, they will already know what to do.

In the first few days, allow your checks to settle in to life outside the eggs! Don’t handle them too much so you don’t add unnecessary stress. However, after they are a few days old,  don’t be afraid to handle them often. They will bond with you and get used to being around people and animals. Remember that baby chicks are very wiggly, and be extra careful not to drop them –even a short fall can be fatal to a tiny chick.

Occasionally, a chick will get lost or separated from the rest of the chicks. You’ll know because you’ll hear it crying with a loud, piercing chirp! Gently guide it back to its friends, and it will be just fine.

As your baby chicks grow, they’ll need more space and less heat. Once they are fully feathered, you can start acclimating them to the outside by putting them in a cage on the grass for a few hours at a time in good weather.

Personally, I like to use a grow-out coop when my chicks get too big for the brooder. This is just a very small chicken coop where they can safely get some outside time. As they grow, I’ll extend this time more and more. They can even live in the mini coop until they’re ready for the big coop!

This is also a great way to introduce new chickens to your current ones. You can keep your mini coop in or near your big coop so the chickens can get to know each other safely. However, you can move your flock right from the brooder to the coop if you need to.

If you have older chickens, you may want to keep an eye out to make sure they are getting along. Chickens will need to establish the pecking order and figure out who is actually in charge! Some squabbling and pecking is completely normal and to be expected. However, adult hens can injure babies that they perceive are a threat – so be careful when introducing small chickens to an established flock. You might want to wait until they are at least 3 months old so they can stand their ground.

Enjoy Your Babies 

No matter what breed of chickens they are, my family and I just love the cute little baby stage. It’s fun to hold them, care for them, and socialize them, knowing they will soon grow into a friendly batch of hens. Just like any pet, your baby chicks have a few basic needs but they are easy to care for and even easier to enjoy!