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Chick brooders, heat plates and chick gear

Brooder kits, heat plates, safer heat lamps, chick feeders and waterers, compared by plate size, wattage, height settings and the chick count each maker lists.

Best chick broodersBest heat platesHeat plate vs heat lampBrooder temperature chartBrooder setup guide
Older chicks gathered under the warm glow of a brooder lamp
Photo: Laríssa, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr
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Brooder temperature chart by weekBrooder temperature for chicks week by week, in °F or °C, with floor space per chick, a heat-plate capacity…

What a chick brooder needs

A chick brooder is a draft-free box or pen with a heat source, a chick feeder, a shallow waterer and absorbent bedding. Penn State Extension starts chicks at 92–95°F at chick level and lowers the heat about 5°F a week until they are feathered, around weeks 5–8. Floor space grows from about ¼ to 1 square foot per chick.

Brooder temperature at chick level, under the heat source

Chick age°F°CFloor space per chick
Week 192–95°F33–35°C¼ sq ft
Weeks 2–385–90°F29–32°C½ sq ft
Weeks 3–580–85°F27–29°C¾ sq ft
Weeks 5–870–80°F21–27°C1 sq ft
Week 8 onRoom temperature—1½ sq ft, more for large breeds

Source: Penn State Extension, Brooding of Domestic Fowl. Watch the chicks too: huddled under the heat means cold, crowded at the edges means too hot.

Heat plates let chicks warm up by touching the underside and walk away when they are warm, like a hen. Size the plate by the chick count the maker lists, and remember that count drops as chicks grow. Raise the legs each week as the birds get taller.

Heat lamps start coop and garage firesFire marshals recommend heat plates. If you use a lamp, secure it with a chain or cable, never the cord or a spring clamp alone, keep it at least 20 inches from bedding and walls (Penn State), and avoid long-term extension cords.Source: Clark County Fire Marshal

Brooder kits vs building your own

A kit puts the pen, plate, feeder and waterer in one box, which saves guessing at sizes. A plastic tote or cardboard ring with a separate plate works just as well if you match the plate to the chick count. The brooder setup guide walks through both.

Chick feeders, waterers and bedding

Chicks need a narrow, shallow water channel so they cannot fall in. Quail and very small chicks need an even narrower base. Raise feeders and waterers to back height to keep shavings out. Pine shavings are the usual bedding; avoid slick newspaper, which can lead to splayed legs.

Chicks and SalmonellaChicks can carry Salmonella and still look healthy. Wash hands after touching chicks, feeders or bedding, keep the brooder out of the kitchen, don't kiss or snuggle chicks, and children under 5 should not handle them (CDC).Source: CDC Healthy Pets

Week-by-week care, from first drink to moving outside, is in how to raise baby chicks.

Read before you buy

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Chicks & brooding: questions

What temperature should a chick brooder be?
Penn State gives 92–95°F at chick level in week 1, dropping about 5°F each week. Watch the chicks: huddled under the heat means cold, crowded at the edges means too hot. The brooder temperature chart uses your hatch date.
How many chicks fit under one heat plate?
Use the maker's count as the newly hatched maximum, for example up to 20 chicks for a 12 x 12 in plate from RentACoop or Premier 1. As chicks grow, fewer fit, so move up a size or add a second plate.
Is a heat plate safer than a heat lamp?
Heat plates run at far lower wattage and sit close to the chicks, which is why fire marshals recommend them. Compare both in heat plate vs heat lamp.
Can ducklings share a brooder with chicks?
They can share heat, but ducklings splash water and grow faster, so the bedding stays wetter. Many keepers brood them separately; see ducks, quail and turkeys.
When can chicks go outside?
Once they are fully feathered, usually around 5–8 weeks, and the weather is mild. Move them in steps and keep them safe from predators.