🐣 Trouble in the Brooder! What Would You Do?

[BYC Project Manager]

Raising chicks isn’t always smooth peeping. Sometimes they get loud, weird, or wobbly—and that’s when your chicken keeper instincts get tested! This fun-yet-informative quiz throws you into real-life brooder dilemmas. What would YOU do?

From mysterious peeping to strange behavior, this quiz will test your chick-rearing instincts. Pick the answers that feel right to you—and scroll to the end to see how you did!

Question 1:​

You hear constant loud peeping from the brooder. What do you do first?
A. Check if they're hungry or thirsty
B. Turn up the brooder heat
C. Add more chicks so they aren’t lonely
D. Ignore it—chicks just peep a lot

Question 2:​

One chick is huddled in the corner while the others are active. What do you do?
A. Let nature take its course
B. Check for pasty butt or illness
C. Move it to a separate brooder immediately
D. Assume it’s just sleepy

Question 3:​

The chicks are panting and staying far from the heat lamp. What’s your move?
A. Lower the lamp to keep them warm
B. Raise or dim the lamp to reduce heat
C. Add more bedding
D. Do nothing unless they collapse

Question 4:​

A chick is pecking at another's toes. What do you do?
A. Remove the pecking chick
B. Distract with treats and enrichment
C. Paint the toes with Blu-Kote
D. All of the above

Question 5:​

You notice a foul smell from the brooder. What do you suspect?
A. Bad feed
B. Wet bedding and possible mold
C. It’s normal with chicks
D. Chick farts

Question 6:​

Your chicks keep flipping over their waterer. What’s the fix?
A. Refill it and hope for the best
B. Use a heavier or no-tip waterer
C. Give them a smaller dish
D. Let them figure it out

Question 7:​

One chick has a swollen belly and isn’t pooping. What might be wrong?
A. Normal chick behavior
B. It ate too much
C. It may have a condition like impacted vent or failure to absorb yolk sac
D. It’s a sleepy chick

Question 8:​

The brooder is drafty and temps fluctuate. What’s a solution?
A. Add more chicks
B. Insulate the brooder and check placement
C. Just turn up the heat
D. Put a blanket over the whole setup

Question 9:​

The chicks are chirping and piling up at the far end of the brooder. What does this mean?
A. They love that side
B. They’re too cold
C. They’re playing
D. They’re ready to go outside

Question 10:​

One chick has developed splayed legs. What can you do?
A. Leave it—it’ll fix itself
B. Make a hobble to gently bring legs into position
C. Euthanize immediately
D. Separate and give extra food

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Answers Revealed!​

1. A — Loud peeping often means chicks are cold, hungry, thirsty, or in distress.
2. B — Check for signs of illness or pasty butt—it could be serious.
3. B — They’re likely overheated if panting and avoiding the heat lamp.
4. D — Pecking can escalate; use a multi-step approach to prevent bullying.
5. B — Wet bedding = mold, bacteria, and dangerous ammonia buildup.
6. B — Stable waterers prevent spills and help keep chicks dry and warm.
7. C — Swollen belly may signal a serious issue like unabsorbed yolk or constipation.
8. B — Drafts can chill chicks; insulation and placement matter more than just heat.
9. B — Piling up usually means they’re too cold—adjust heat immediately.
10. B — Splayed legs can often be corrected with gentle hobbles if caught early.

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How Did You Do?​

0–3 correct: Just hatching! You’re on your way to becoming a brooder pro. Don’t be discouraged—every chicken keeper starts somewhere.

4–7 correct: Brooder Basics: You’ve got a good grip, but a little more experience will boost your chick confidence.

8–10 correct: You’re a Brooder Boss! Your chicks are in excellent hands, and your troubleshooting skills are top-notch!

Done and dusted! So, how did you do? Whether you're a Brooder Boss or still figuring out which end is up on a baby chick, there’s always more to learn—and laugh about—when it comes to raising happy, healthy fluffballs.

Keep watching your peeps, stay curious, and remember: sometimes the best chicken keepers are the ones asking the most questions.

Drop your score below, share your funniest brooder moment, and let us know what quizzes you'd love to see next!

 

[Debbie292d]

This is very informative!

I’m a brooder boss, but yes, theres always more to learn and laugh about too!

Funniest brooder moment:

Once I threw my rolled up dirty paper toweling in the garbage in the kitchen, then ran back to the brooder to put new sheets down.

Hubby yelled from the kitchen, “Honey, come quick! The garbage can is peeping!” I had accidentally rolled up a little day old chick and threw it away! It was rescued and was fine.