Getting brooder temperature right is the single biggest driver of first-week chick survival. This guide gives you the species-appropriate starting target and steps it down week by week using the standard rule poultry keepers have used for decades, so your birds stay evenly spread, eating, and growing.
How it works
Brooding follows a simple stepped schedule. Day-old chicks need their environment held at the temperature they would get under a hen, then cooled gradually as they feather out:
week 1 target = species start (layer/broiler 95F, poults 98F)
each later week = previous week target − 5F
floor = ambient brood-room temperature (about 70F)The target is measured at chick level directly under the heat source, not at the ceiling. Once the stepped target reaches ambient room temperature the birds no longer need supplemental heat.
Tips and example
A flock of layer chicks starts at 95F in week one, then 90F, 85F, 80F, 75F, and 70F across the following weeks. By week six the brooder target equals room temperature and the heat lamp can come off if the birds are well feathered.
Always read the birds over the thermometer: huddling means too cold, edge-hugging and panting means too hot, and an even, busy spread means the temperature is right. Provide at least one waterer and feeder per 25 chicks, keep litter dry, and hold humidity around 50 to 60 percent to prevent dehydration and pasty vent.
Heat source types and placement
Heat lamps (infrared bulbs) are the most common home-brooder heat source. A 250-watt red bulb suspended 18–24 inches above the litter provides a warm zone chicks can move into or away from. Raising the lamp lowers the temperature; lowering it raises it. Red bulbs are preferred over white — they reduce aggression (chicks peck at red spots less under red light) and allow a natural night-dark cycle.
Radiant plate brooders (also called Ecoglow style) sit low over the litter and radiate downward heat, mimicking the warmth under a hen. Chicks can walk under and away freely. These use far less electricity than heat lamps and reduce fire risk significantly. They suit small flocks well and are the preferred option for backyard and small-scale commercial production.
Overhead gas brooders are standard in commercial houses and suit large flocks. Temperature is controlled by adjusting gas pressure and suspension height. They heat the air directly rather than providing a spot-heat zone, which requires good ventilation management.
Managing the transition off heat
Rather than switching heat off suddenly at week five or six, step it down in a way the birds can track. If using a heat lamp, raise it a few inches each week instead of counting degrees. If you have a thermostat, program it to drop the set point by about 5°F each week automatically. On a warm day, observe the birds with the heat off briefly — confident, even distribution means they are ready; persistent huddling means they need another week.
In cold climates, full feathering and ambient temperature both matter. Chicks in an unheated barn in winter may need supplemental heat for longer than the schedule suggests; chicks in a warm summer barn may need it for less. The schedule is a guide, not a fixed rule.
Pasty vent: the most common early problem
Pasty vent (feces crusting over the vent) is the leading cause of death in the first week. It is most common when chicks are chilled, dehydrated, or stressed during shipping. Check each chick’s vent daily for the first week. If you find crusting, gently soften and remove it with warm water and a soft cloth — do not pull. Keeping temperature and humidity stable and ensuring chicks find water and feed within the first hour of arriving dramatically reduces pasty vent incidence.