Raising Baby Chicks: What’s Your Go-To Method?

[BYC Project Manager]

Few things bring as much joy (and chaos!) to a backyard flock as raising baby chicks. From their first tiny peeps to those awkward teenage weeks, every stage is an adventure. But with that cuteness comes plenty of decisions and sometimes a few challenges!

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?
What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?
Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?
How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?
And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

Everyone has their own tried-and-true tricks, and new chick parents are always eager to learn. Share your experiences, tips, funny stories, and even mistakes (we’ve all been there!).

Let’s help each other raise happy, healthy chicks because those little fluffballs grow fast, and before we know it, they’re ruling the roost!

 

[BDutch]

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?

Broody

What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?

In the nest: sand/loam/clay bottom mixed with a little diatom earth. Shavings and hay on top.
In front where the water and feed is I use old towels in the first week. Change the towels daily. Pick out poop from the nest. Refresh shavings/hay when needed.
After 5-7 days the mama goes to the run with her chicks to scratch in the sand.

Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?

Only natural. The mother hen keeps the chicks warm. Wait with hatching till spring (April).

How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?

No need for that with a broody. If the broody was separated, I integrate after 10-14 days.

And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

Never had pasty buts. I think this is solely a incubator/brooder problem.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I use the brooder(Large Plastic Tote)with Pine Shavings, & a Heat Plate the majority of the time.
Occasionally when I can swing it, I'll go the broody route.

 

[Perris]

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?

I only use broody hens.

What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?

Shavings in a Nestera coop.

Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?

Only natural methods tried here; broody hens offer the chicks the right temperature, and so much more (parental protection, guidance, comfort, instruction etc. etc.).

How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?

They are integrated within the flock from hatch when raised by a broody in a regular coop. The broody starts teaching them from the moment they leave the nest, physical skills such as how to use the ramp or avoid predators, and social skills such how to behave toward and socialise with other chickens.

And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

There has been no pasty butt here since I stopped using processed feeds (2020 for chick feed; adults were off it from 2018); it might be a coincidence, but I think not.

 

[HolyHenHouse]

I incubate and then use a brooder. I use pine shavings and a heat plate. if it is really cold then I add a heat lamp. as for the pasty butt... that should not be a problem if you incubate or let a hen hatch them. Pasty butt is caused from the stress of traveling around when you get them from a feed store.

 

[RubelliteRose]

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?

Have done both, but will say broody only because we brood in the house and it is SO dusty

What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?

TS fine shavings

Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?

We have used a heat lamp, a Producer's Pride heating plate, and a MHP made with a Sunbeam heating pad when brooding in the house. The nighttime light from the heat lamp kept the chicks up at night. The heating plate was great while it worked, but only lasted through 2 sets of chicks before it died. The MHP was much cheaper and worked just as well as the heat plate.

How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?

Broody - no transition needed
Brooder - we section off a portion of the run for the chicks during the day and place them in a dog crate in the coop at night. We do this until everyone in the flock stops trying to attack them through the fence.

And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

We have only had pasty butt with shipped chicks, never broody or incubator chicks. Ideally, we will only hatch our own or get chicks from a local breeder from now on.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?

Prefer broody, but not always possible.

What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?

When we brood in the house, we just use puppy pee pads. No dust! Changed every evening.

Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?

We use two lamps when brooding indoors: a white light for during the day, and a red light for at night.

We did get heat plates but they seem to be too hot.

How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?

We have a brooder in a grow-out pen adjacent to the chicken run. They go in this brooder at three weeks. This allows a "see-no-touch" environment for the chicks where they remain for anither three weeks. Then we open the gate that separates the two groups, and none of them seem aware of the difference, they just mingle comfortably.

And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

When brooding inside we check every fanny every night when cleaning the brooders. If there is even the slightest sticky feathers on or around the vent, we clean it off. We keep the brooders a little on the cool side and keep the humidity up in the room. With broody moms, PB is not an issue.

 

[thecatumbrella]

• Would love to use a broody hen someday, if only to avoid integration troubles.
• Hemp bedding has been a huge step up from pine shavings. Unfortunately, I'm allergic. We'll try pine pellets next.
• Heat plates forever! You do have to fuss with the height a bit, but it feels a lot more natural for the chicks. Almost like tucking under a plastic/metal mama.
• We start field trips at 3 weeks on the dot. I keep them outside as long as they'll tolerate. They're usually so excited to be out that they'll keep themselves warm just frolicking around.
• Pasty butt seems a bit unavoidable on shipped chicks, but brooding them in a cool environment means it never lasts long. Another win for the heat plate (and my basement).

 

[Debbie292d]

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?

We've done it both ways, but the vast majority of hatching is done via incubator and then to a large homemade brooder.

What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?

Horse bedding pellets. No odors, and it keeps their floor dry, so coccidiosis doesn't stand a chance. The first couple of days we put paper toweling over part of the pellets so they have a softer place to sleep but they can run around on the pellets. The pellets also give them good feet muscles and prevents splay leg.

Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?

We use 100-watt black ceramic lizard heat lamps hung from a chain hooked to the top (wood). Then it can be raised a link at a time as they get older.

How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?

We have growout pens with hutches. In the summer, they can go out at just a few weeks old. As the nights get cooler to 50°F, we turn the Cozy Coop on that's in each of the hutches. That's a radiant heater that doesn't get hot to the touch and shuts off if it tips over.

And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

Our brooders have tons of room to move away if they are too warm so finding one with pasty butt is not too common.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you prefer using a broody hen or raising chicks with a brooder setup?

I would try a broody but it has never lined up with when I plan to get chicks (and almost always a hen goes broody after the fact! )

What’s your favorite bedding for keeping things clean and safe?

Deep litter on the run floor. It deliberately exposes the chicks to microbes and bacteria present in the environment to help bolster their immune system, drains quickly even if it gets wet, and requires zero maintenance or cleaning.

Have you tried different heat sources like lamps, heating plates, or even natural methods?

My first batch was brooded with a heat lamp, never again. It was so hot that the entire room smelled like it would catch on fire (in fact the first bulb burned itself out) and the chicks had pasty butt.

I now use a mama heating pad. Cheap, simple, effective.

How do you transition your chicks from brooder to coop life?

Article 'Short on Time? Recycle-a-Prefab Brooder'

or: How I learned to stop worrying and love brooding outdoors! Contents: Building the Brooder Making a Mama Heating Pad Early Integration Process Other Early Integration Articles Please note that authors don't get notifications on articles. If you have comments or questions, feel free to...

• rosemarythyme
• May 28, 2018
• 10 min read
• 5.00 star(s) 21 ratings
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• Category: Incubators & Brooders

And of course… what’s your secret to keeping pasty butt at bay?

After I began letting the chicks regulate temperature for themselves pasty butt became a non issue. I really feel that overheating them is the biggest contributor.