How to Rear Day-Old Chicks: The First 7 Days That Determine Everything

The first 7 days of a chick's life are the most critical period in poultry farming. 70% of all broiler mortality happens in the first week. Chicks that get off to a poor start — cold stress, dehydration, delayed first feed — never catch up. They grow slower, eat more feed per kg of gain, and have higher mortality throughout the cycle. Getting the first 7 days right is the difference between a profitable batch and a disaster [1][2].

Before the chicks arrive: prepare the brooder (Day -1)

1. Clean and disinfect the brooder house 48 hours before arrival. Wash floor, walls, and equipment with detergent, then disinfect with iodine or chlorine solution. Let it dry completely.
2. Lay fresh bedding. 5-10cm of dry wood shavings, rice husks, or sawdust. Never use damp or moldy bedding.
3. Pre-heat the brooder 6-12 hours before chicks arrive. Target temperature: 32-35°C at chick level. Check with a thermometer placed 5cm above the floor.
4. Fill waterers with clean, room-temperature water. Add electrolytes + glucose (1 teaspoon sugar per liter) for the first 24 hours — gives chicks immediate energy after the stress of transport [1].
5. Fill feeders with starter feed (23% crude protein). Place feed on shallow trays or paper on the floor for the first 3 days so chicks can find it easily.
6. Check the heat source. If using infrared lamps, position at 50cm above the floor. If gas brooder, set thermostat to 33°C.

Day 1: Arrival and placement

1. Transport carefully. Chicks should be transported in ventilated boxes, not in the trunk of a hot car. Minimize transport time (under 6 hours ideal).
2. Place chicks gently near the waterers first, then the feeders. Do NOT dump them — lower the box slowly and let chicks walk out.
3. Observe for 30 minutes. Are the chicks spreading out evenly? Good. Are they huddling under the lamp? Too cold. Are they avoiding the lamp? Too hot. Adjust immediately.
4. Count and record. Count the number of chicks placed. Note any dead-on-arrival (DOA). Acceptable DOA: less than 1% (e.g., max 5 dead out of 500).
5. Check crop fill. 2 hours after placement, gently pick up 10 chicks and feel their crops (the pouch at the base of the neck). 95% should have full, soft crops — meaning they have found feed and water.

Days 2-3: Establishment

• Check temperature: 32-35°C maintained. Adjust heat lamp height if chicks are huddling or panting.
• Check water: waterers should never be empty. Clean and refill twice daily.
• Check feed: starter feed available at all times. Chicks should eat ~10-15g per day at this age.
• Check mortality: any dead chicks should be removed immediately. Record the number. Normal mortality: 0.5-1% in the first 3 days.
• Check litter: dry and loose. If wet under the waterers, add fresh bedding. Wet litter causes coccidiosis and respiratory problems.

Days 4-7: Growth phase begins

• Temperature: still 32-35°C (do NOT reduce yet — that starts in week 2).
• Feed: still starter feed (23% protein). Consumption increases to 15-25g per day.
• Remove floor trays/paper and transition to tube feeders (if not done already).
• Check crop fill daily: 100% of chicks should have full crops by day 4.
• Weigh 10 chicks on day 7. Target weight: 150-180g for Cobb 500, 140-170g for Ross 308. If under target, investigate: temperature, feed quality, water access, disease.

The 5 things that kill chicks in the first week

1. Cold stress: #1 killer. Chicks that are cold stop eating and drinking, huddle, and smother each other. Solution: pre-heat properly, use a thermometer.
2. Dehydration: Chicks that cannot find water die within 24-48 hours. Solution: place waterers at chick eye level, add electrolytes + glucose to the water for energy.
3. Starvation: Chicks that cannot find feed waste away. Solution: use flat trays or paper on the floor for the first 3 days so feed is easy to find.
4. Piling/smothering: Chicks pile on top of each other (usually from cold), and the ones at the bottom suffocate. Solution: correct temperature prevents piling.
5. Yolk sac infection (omphalitis): Bacteria enter through the unhealed navel. Solution: dip the navel in iodine at placement, keep bedding dry and clean.

The day-7 checklist

By the end of day 7, you should have:

• ✅ Temperature stable at 32-35°C at chick level
• ✅ Chicks evenly distributed throughout the brooder
• ✅ 100% crop fill (every chick eating and drinking)
• ✅ Mortality under 2% (less than 10 dead out of 500)
• ✅ Day-7 weight: 150-180g (Cobb 500) / 140-170g (Ross 308)
• ✅ Dry, clean litter
• ✅ Starter feed being consumed at 15-25g per chick per day

If you hit all 7 of these targets, the remaining 4-5 weeks of the broiler cycle are straightforward — just manage temperature (reduce 3°C/week), feed (switch to grower at day 10), and biosecurity. The hard part is done.

Sources & References

• [1] Scribd: Brooder Preparation Guide for Chicks — preheating, bedding, feeding, drinking arrangements. Source: scribd.com
• [2] ResearchGate: Effect of Environmental Temperature During First Week — chicks at 20°C had lower weight gain than those at 25°C and 35°C. Source: researchgate.net