In this article, we will be going through the first six weeks of a chick’s life. We will talk about what temperature they need to be kept at, when they can go outside and more!
Before you get your chicks
It is super important that you already have your brooder set up for them. Because when they arrive (if you ordered them through the mail) or if you go and pick them up from a farm store, you will need to place them under the heat right away. If you are wondering what you will need to prepare before you get your chicks then read here.
Week 1-
Chicks in their first week of life are very fragile and susceptible to diseases. So with this in mind, we must do all that we can to help them and boost their immune system. My favorite way is with apple cider vinegar! If you would like to learn more about why I use apple cider vinegar for them then read that here. When they are this little it is very important to keep an eye on them to make sure that they don’t develop pasty butt. Pasty butt occurs when the chick poops, but it gets caught in the vent. If it is not treated then they can quickly die because their vent is blocked. This article did a great job of explaining how to prevent and treat it!
Week 2-
Now that your chicks survived week one it is on to week two! Week one is the most critical survival time for your chicks, and it keeps decreasing after that. At this point you can slightly lower the temperature that you are keeping them at! Here is a post about the temperature that they need to be kept at each week. You also can try to give your chicks new treats like crushed mealworms or some fruit, but make sure that you also give them chick grit.
Week 3-
Week three is very similar to week two except for you may now be able to take your chicks outside for a short amount of time if the temperature outside matches up to the temperature chart.
Week 4-
By now you chicks may be fully feathered! If that is the case then they may be able to live outside now. If you have already read my post about when chicks can finally live outside then you will have an idea about when you get to make that decision for your chicks!
Week 5-
This week your chicks will still be growing like crazy. If you decided to wait a week to let your chicks live outside then this would be the week for you! Week five is very similar to week four so you really don’t have to worry about much.
Week 6-
Your chicks have really grown by now and are definitely resembling grown chickens. We waited until this week to move our chickens outside for full time. So this week we were getting into the habit of closing them in at night and letting them out in the morning! Now you will no longer have to provide any heat for them, which feels like a huge accomplishment!
Congrats on getting through the first six weeks of your chick’s life!!! Now you can start looking forward to when your pullets will begin producing eggs. If you have any questions on raising chicks let me know in the comments below.
The 1912 Homestead 