The moment a chick hatches, its journey of survival begins — and the first 7 days can make or break its future health. High mortality in the first week post-hatching is a global concern among poultry farmers, especially for small-scale farms that lack advanced equipment.
Many farmers experience 10–20% early chick mortality, which translates to major losses. But here’s the good news: over 90% of these deaths are preventable. With the right brooding practices, temperature control, feed, and early care strategies, you can achieve over 95% survival rates consistently — even on a limited budget.
Let’s dive into the complete guide to improving chick survival after hatching.
🔧 1: Setting Up the Brooder — Your First Line of Defense
A brooder is not just a warm space — it’s a life-support system. If a single element is off, you risk mass mortality in hours.
1.1 Brooder Design Essentials:
- Shape: Circular brooders are ideal to avoid chicks huddling in corners (which causes smothering).
- Guard Height: At least 12–15 inches for day-old chicks.
- Flooring: Use anti-slip material like rice husk or chopped straw. Avoid newspaper — it causes leg splay.
- Ventilation: Ensure cross-ventilation without creating drafts.
1.2 Heating Options:
- Infrared bulbs (100–250W): Common and effective.
- Charcoal stoves: Use with a chimney to avoid CO poisoning.
- LPG Brooders: Ideal for larger setups, with thermostat control.
🔥 Pro Tip: Preheat your brooder for 24–48 hours before chicks arrive. This stabilizes the temperature and kills residual pathogens.
💧 2: Hydration Protocol Preventing Dehydration from Hour 1
When chicks are transported from hatcheries, they may go 6–24 hours without water, causing dehydration, shriveled navels, and weak legs.
2.1 First 6 Hours:
- Provide glucose + electrolytes + vitamin C in warm water.
- Use nipple or shallow tray drinkers to avoid drowning.
- Keep water at 28–32°C — cold water stresses internal organs.
2.2 Ongoing Water Management:
- Refill every 3–4 hours.
- Disinfect daily with mild iodine or potassium permanganate.
- Keep drinkers shaded and placed evenly.
🌡️ 3: Mastering Temperature, Humidity & Light
Temperature control is not guesswork — it requires consistent observation and correction.
3.1 Brooding Temperature Chart:
| Week | Day | Celsius | Fahrenheit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1–7 | 32–35°C | 90–95°F |
| 2 | 8–14 | 30–32°C | 86–90°F |
| 3 | 15–21 | 28–30°C | 82–86°F |
🔁 Reduce temp by 2–3°C per week until chicks are feathered.
3.2 Brooder Humidity:
- Ideal: 50–60%
- Use wet gunny sacks or humidifiers in dry climates.
- Too dry = dehydration. Too moist = coccidiosis risk.
3.3 Light Management:
- 24 hours of warm white light for first 5 days.
- Reduce to 18–20 hours/day after day 7.
- Bulbs: LED or incandescent, warm tone.
📌 Observation Trick:
- Evenly spaced chicks = comfort
- Crowding under lamp = cold
- Away from lamp, panting = too hot
🍽️ 4: The Right Feed at the Right Time
Feeding mistakes can set back growth by weeks or even cause death.
4.1 Starter Feed Essentials:
- Crude Protein: 20–22%
- Metabolizable Energy: 2900–3000 kcal/kg
- Calcium: 1%, Phosphorus: 0.5%
📦 Use crumbles for first 2 weeks; mash can lead to selective feeding or spillage.
4.2 First Feed Strategy:
- Wait 2–3 hours post-arrival before offering feed.
- Scatter feed on cardboard to encourage pecking.
- Introduce feeders gradually in a 1:30 ratio.
4.3 Avoid These Feed Errors:
- Feeding powdered maize alone.
- Letting feed go moldy in humid climates.
- Overfilling feeders — leads to wastage and contamination.
🧬 5: Vaccination & Prophylactic Health Measures
Vaccinations don’t just save lives — they save your bottom line.
5.1 Key Vaccines for Week 1–2:
| Disease | Vaccine Type | Timing (Days) |
|---|---|---|
| Newcastle | Lasota | Day 5–7 |
| Gumboro (IBD) | Intermediate | Day 10–14 |
💉 Methods:
- Drinking water route is easiest for mass application.
- Use stabilizer (skim milk) to protect live virus vaccines.
5.2 Deworming & Antibiotic Use:
- Deworm chicks only after 21 days.
- Avoid routine antibiotics unless disease signs appear.
- Instead, use probiotics or acidifiers to build gut flora.
🧼 6: Hygiene, Disease Control, and Sanitation
6.1 Daily Brooder Maintenance:
- Replace wet bedding immediately.
- Clean waterers 2–3 times/day.
- Sanitize feed trays every evening.
- Limit access to essential personnel only.
6.2 Biosecurity Tips:
- Foot dips at entrance (use lime or disinfectant).
- No mixing of new chicks with older birds.
- Quarantine sick birds — 20 feet from main flock.
- Disinfect the brooder completely between batches.
🚨 7: Recognizing and Responding to Danger Signs
Early intervention can prevent an outbreak.
7.1 Top 10 Red Flags:
- Weak or wobbly chicks
- Diarrhea or pasted vents
- Lying down and not rising
- Refusing feed or water
- Huddling or panic piling
- Respiratory wheezing
- Eye or beak discharge
- Uneven growth patterns
- Dull, dirty feathers
- Chirping loudly for hours
🚑 Keep first-aid supplies like electrolytes, vitamin drops, activated charcoal, and probiotics.
📊 8: Growth Monitoring and Performance Goals
Track progress weekly:
| Week | Expected Weight (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 130–150g | Should double weight |
| 2 | 250–280g | Feather growth visible |
| 3 | 450–500g | Body symmetry improves |
📝 Maintain a chick register:
- Daily mortality
- Feed intake (g/bird/day)
- Weight samples (weigh 10 chicks weekly)
📖 9: Real-Life Farmer Success Story
Raj Kumar, a backyard farmer in Tamil Nadu, faced 20% mortality in his first two hatches. After joining a poultry co-op and learning proper hydration and temperature techniques:
- He switched to circular brooders and LED bulbs.
- Used boiled water cooled to 30°C for chicks.
- Mixed vitamin C and glucose for the first 48 hours.
Result: His 3rd batch saw just 2% mortality, and chicks reached market size 4 days earlier than average.
🙋 Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How do I revive a weak chick?
Use a warm sugar-water solution with electrolytes. Keep the chick isolated under optimal warmth and hand-feed drops every 15 minutes.
Q2: Should chicks eat grit?
Not in the first week unless you feed whole grains. Chicks on starter feed don’t need grit initially.
Q3: Can overfeeding cause problems?
Not exactly — chicks self-regulate intake. However, excess feed can spoil quickly and cause contamination.
Q4: What causes pasty vent in chicks?
Stress, dehydration, and poor feed. Provide lukewarm water with electrolytes and clean vents gently with warm cotton.
Q5: What’s the best brooder design for humid climates?
Elevated mesh flooring with absorbent bedding and natural airflow. Avoid plastic flooring as it retains moisture.
🧠 Conclusion: Chick Survival Depends on Precision and Care
Raising healthy chicks is not about luck — it’s about consistent, science-based practices from day one. Every tiny adjustment — from water temperature to lighting hours — plays a role in survival.
By implementing these practices, your chicks won’t just survive. They’ll thrive, giving you stronger flocks, better feed conversion, and higher profitability per batch.