Chick brooding and rearing management
Domain 3 – Chick brooding and rearing management
The exam tests the first four weeks: pre-placement cleaning, brooder temperature, light, space, feeding and the signs of good brooding.
Core rules
- Pre-brooding: clean and disinfect the brooder house, repair leaks, spread dry litter, warm the brooder 24 hours before chicks arrive, and provide clean water with glucose/electrolyte for the first few hours.
- Temperature: start at about 95°F (35°C) at chick level in week 1; reduce by about 5°F (2.8°C) each week until 70°F (21°C) or ambient. Watch chick behaviour: huddling means too cold; panting and moving away means too hot; even spread means correct.
- Space: about 0.5 sq ft per chick in the brooder, increasing to about 1 sq ft by 4 weeks.
- Light and feed: 23 hours light in the first 2–3 days, then reduce; chick mash 20–22% crude protein; clean water always.
- Rearing: separate weak chicks, debeak only if cannibalism appears, and vaccinate on schedule.
Worked example
A farmer receives 100 day-old chicks. Brooder area at 0.5 sq ft/chick = 50 sq ft. The brooder should be warmed to 95°F. In week 2 set 90°F, week 3 85°F, week 4 80°F, and by week 5 about 75°F. If chicks are seen piled at the brooder edge away from the heat source, the temperature is too low or there is a draft; check the brooder guard and raise heat slightly.
Traps
- Measuring brooder temperature at the roof instead of chick level.
- Keeping chicks on wet litter; this causes coccidiosis and chilling.
- Giving cold water or feed immediately after a long journey without electrolytes.
- Reducing temperature on a fixed calendar without watching chick behaviour.
Key points
- Warm the brooder to about 95°F at chick level before placement.
- Reduce temperature by about 5°F weekly, judging by chick behaviour.
- Start with about 0.5 sq ft/chick and increase to 1 sq ft by 4 weeks.
- Provide chick mash at 20–22% crude protein and clean water.
- Huddling, panting and wet litter are key warning signs.