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Brooding Management THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF LIFE As baby chicks are unable to control their internal temperature for the first 10 days of life, you have to keep them warm just like a mother hen would by brooding. Brooding is an essential practice in raising broilers and is the basis for achieving good results. Often in small scale farming, heat lamps are used along with curtains or cardboard to prevent cold drafts of air from blowing through the chicken house. The chicks’ position relative to the heat source is an important indicator of comfort. Chicks are best observed at night as a guide to establishing whether they are comfortable or not. Comfort can be verified as follows: A. Too cold/ Temperature too low:
Chicks will huddle under the brooder
B. Too hot/ Temperature too high:
Chicks move away from heat source and group near the sides of the house.
C. Drafty/ Cold Air Currents:
Chicks will huddle in one area to avoid draft
D. Correct temp/Optimal situation:
Chicks sound contented and are evenly distributed around the brooder
A. TOO COLD
X
B. TOO HOT
X