Why Most Chicks Die in the First Week (and How to Avoid It)

Your backyard chickens are on the way—or already peeping in a box in your house.

Now the question is: Can you keep them alive?

Don’t panic. A good brooder setup doesn’t have to be fancy. It just needs to do a few things really well:
Keep them warm
Keep them dry
Keep them safe

Here’s what works:

✅ Container: Rubbermaid tub, stock tank, plastic kiddie pool with high walls, or a wooden box. Cardboard can work short term—but only if it stays dry and sturdy.
✅ Heat source: Heat lamp or brooder plate. Start at 95°F the first week, then drop 5° each week until they’re fully feathered (around 5–6 weeks).
✅ Bedding: Pine shavings work great. Avoid cedar—it’s toxic to chicks. Swap out bedding every few days.
✅ Waterer: Use a chick waterer—not a bowl. Add marbles or rocks if your chicks are tiny—drowning happens faster than you’d expect.
✅ Feeder: Use a chick-sized feeder filled with starter feed (20–22% protein). No scratch grains, no adult feed—not yet.

Check your setup morning and night.

• If chicks are piled under the heat, they’re cold.

• If they’re avoiding it and panting, too hot.

• If they’re spread out and peeping calmly, you nailed it.

👉 Bonus Tip #1 – Paper Towel Trick:
Lay paper towels over the bedding for the first day or two. It makes it easier for chicks to find their feed and helps prevent early problems like pasty butt.

👉 Bonus Tip #2 – Should You Add Guineas?
If you’ve got space and pests, Guineas can be a great addition to your flock. They eat ticks like candy, alert you to predators, and they free-range like champs.
The catch? They’re loud. Real loud. Like neighborhood-notice loud. Great watchdogs, but not ideal if you’re after peace and quiet.

🐣 Fun Chicken Fact:
Baby chicks can communicate with each other before they even hatch—through their eggshells. They peep to coordinate hatching time with their siblings. Wild, right?

Next Tuesday at 10AM, we’ll cover feeding schedules, grit, and the #1 mistake that causes weak layers down the road.

You’re keeping them alive now. Next, we get them growing strong.

— Tim Parker
Start My Homestead