भाषा:

In winter, the first 14 days decide how the whole broiler batch will turn out. A day-old chick cannot keep itself warm. For the first week it depends fully on the heat you give it, and by day 7 it should already weigh about 4.5–5 times its day-old weight. If it gets cold now, it does not absorb its yolk properly, it eats and drinks less, the flock becomes uneven, FCR goes up and the risk of ascites and respiratory problems rises later in the batch. The money is made or lost in the brooding period.

This guide walks you through everything from preparing the shed before the chicks arrive to the end of day 14: a day-wise temperature chart, heaters and gas safety, the first 24 hours, how to read chick behaviour, space, ventilation, humidity, light, and a daily checklist you can print and hang in the shed.

POULTRY

Easy Brood

Easy Brood

Pehle 3 din · gud ke ghol ki jagah

500 g ₹565₹898

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POULTRY

Alceau

Alceau

Herbal antimicrobial

500 g ₹741₹1,190

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Easy Brood

POULTRY

Easy Brood

Pehle 3 din · gud ke ghol ki jagah

500 g ₹565₹898

Order karein

1. Shed preparation: 24–48 hours before the chicks arrive

Most winter brooding failures start before the chicks even come. If the chick box is opened onto a cold floor, the damage is done in the first few hours.

Clean, dry and disinfected shed

  • Finish washing and disinfection of the shed, feeders and drinkers several days before placement, so the floor and walls are fully dry. A damp floor stays cold for days.
  • Fix broken nets, holes in walls and gaps under the roof. Keep rats and cats out.

Curtains: double layer, closed from the bottom

  • Use a double curtain on open sides: an inner layer (plastic or tarpaulin) and an outer layer (gunny or tarpaulin). Seal gaps at the sides and the bottom so cold air does not blow over the chicks.
  • Fit curtains so they open from the top (top flap lowered), not lifted from the bottom. Cold air entering from the top mixes with warm air before it reaches the chicks.
  • Inside a large shed, an extra inner curtain or plastic sheet to make a smaller brooding room keeps fuel costs down.

Litter: dry and deep

  • Use dry rice husk (or dry sawdust/wood shavings), about 4 inches (around 10 cm) deep in winter. Never use damp, dusty or mouldy material.
  • Spread it evenly. Thin spots let the cold of the floor come through.
  • In the brooding area, cover part of the litter with paper (newspaper or chick paper) for the first 2–3 days and sprinkle feed on it so chicks find feed easily.

Pre-heating: warm the floor, not just the air

  • Switch the heaters on at least 24–36 hours before the chicks arrive, and up to 48 hours in severe cold or in a big, cold shed.
  • The goal is a litter (floor) temperature of 28–30°C and air at chick level of 32–33°C at the time of placement. Air warms fast; the floor takes much longer.
  • Check the floor by pushing your hand into the litter, or with an infrared thermometer. A chick standing on cold litter loses heat through its feet even if the air is warm.
  • Hang thermometers at chick height (5–10 cm above the litter), at least one near the heater and one at the edge of the ring, not near the roof. A min-max thermometer shows you how cold it got at night.
  • Fill the drinkers a few hours before arrival so the water warms up to room temperature.

Brooder guard (chick ring) layout

  • Make a round ring with a chick guard of cardboard, tin sheet or plastic, about 45 cm (18 inches) high. Round, with no corners, so chicks cannot pile up and smother in a corner.
  • Put the heat source in the middle (or along one side for long brooding areas) so there is a warm zone and a slightly cooler zone. Chicks then choose where they are comfortable.
  • Arrange feeders and drinkers in a ring or alternating pattern between the heater and the guard, not directly under the heater and not touching the guard. A chick should not need to walk more than about 1 metre to reach feed or water.
  • Start the brooding area in one part of the shed (often the middle third) and widen it as the chicks grow. See the space table below.

2. Heaters for winter brooding and gas safety

Whatever heat source you use, the heat must be even across the ring, and it must keep running through the coldest hours of the night. Here are the common options in Indian broiler farms:

HeaterGood pointsWatch out for
Gas brooder (LPG hover/radiant)Strong, even heat; easy to raise or lower; cleanGas leaks at pipes and regulator, cylinder running out at night, burns CO and moisture into the shed air; needs some fresh air
Angithi / sigri (coal or wood, open)Cheap, easy to getHighest carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke risk, uneven heat, fire risk near curtains and litter, needs refuelling at night
Bukhari (closed stove with pipe chimney)Cheap fuel; smoke goes out through the pipe; heats a large areaPipe joints must be tight and the chimney must go fully outside; pipe gets very hot, keep it away from curtains and litter
Electric (bulbs, infrared lamps, heaters)No smoke or CO, easy to controlPower cuts at night, high bill, bulbs alone are often not enough in severe cold; needs a backup
Carbon monoxide (CO) can kill chicks and people. CO has no smell and no colour. Coal, wood, gas and kerosene heaters all make it when they burn without enough air.
  • Never seal a shed completely when an angithi, bukhari or gas brooder is running. Always keep some fresh air coming in.
  • Prefer a bukhari with a chimney pipe going outside over an open angithi. If you use an angithi, light it outside and bring it in only once the smoke has stopped, and keep it away from curtains.
  • Signs in chicks: sleepy, weak, gasping, sudden deaths near the heater with no other cause. Signs in people: headache, dizziness, nausea. If you feel these in the shed, open the curtains and go out at once.
  • Nobody should sleep inside a closed shed with a coal or wood heater burning.
  • A low-cost CO alarm in the brooding area is worth buying; aim to keep CO under about 10 ppm.
  • Check gas pipes and joints with soapy water, never with a flame. Keep a spare cylinder ready, and a fire extinguisher or sand bucket near the door.

Power cut plan: keep a generator or inverter for electric brooding, or a backup gas/bukhari heater. One cold night without heat in the first week can undo all your work.

3. Chick arrival protocol: the first 24 hours

When the chicks come in

  • Check that the shed is at temperature before you open the boxes: floor 28–30°C, air at chick level 32–33°C.
  • Count the chicks and check quality: active, bright eyes, dry and well-healed navels, no red hocks. Write down the hatchery, breed, batch, chick weight and the vaccines given at the hatchery.
  • Weigh a few boxes of chicks to know the average day-old weight. You will need it on day 7.
  • Unload quickly and place chicks gently near feed and water. Do not leave boxes stacked in a cold vehicle or in the sun.

First water

  • Water should be clean and lukewarm (about 20–25°C), never ice-cold from a tank and never hot.
  • Do not give jaggery (gud), sugar or salt water: sugar feeds harmful gut bacteria and can cause loose droppings and yolk sac infection. Use Easy Brood instead (see the day 1 to 4 plan below).
  • Dip the beaks of a few chicks in water so they learn where the drinkers are. Others follow.
  • For nipple lines, keep the nipple at chick eye level in the first days and make sure a drop of water hangs on each nipple.

First feed

  • Give a good quality pre-starter crumble from the start. Sprinkle it on the paper and fill the chick trays so feed is everywhere the chicks walk.
  • Give feed little and often in the first days, so it stays fresh and the sound of feeding attracts chicks.

Crop-fill check

This is the simplest test of whether your brooding is working. Pick up 10–20 chicks from different parts of the ring and gently feel the crop (the pouch at the base of the neck).

  • About 8 hours after placement: at least 80% of chicks should have a full, soft crop with both feed and water.
  • At 24 hours: more than 95%.
  • A hard crop (only dry feed) means the chick is not drinking enough. An empty crop means it has not found feed or water, or it is too cold to move. Check temperature, water and feeder space at once.

Day 1 to 4 start-up plan: Easy Brood + Alceau

This is the first part of the IMN Pyrophos winter 2026 schedule. Quantities are per 1,000 chicks. “First water” is the morning water; “next water” is the water you give after the first one is finished.

DayFirst waterNext water
Day 1Easy Brood 70 g, ready in the drinkers when the chicks arriveVitaden H 30 ml
Day 2Easy Brood 70 gAlceau 15 g
Day 3Pyrocal B 40 mlAlceau 15 g
Day 4ND-IB vaccine (nothing else in the vaccine water)Alceau 15 g

Make the solution fresh and give only as much as the chicks finish. Never mix any medicine or supplement in the vaccine water. From day 5 follow the full 42-day winter schedule.

Easy Brood chick start-up supplement by IMN Pyrophos

First 3 days · in place of jaggery water

Easy Brood

Start-up solution for chicks with electrolytes, osmolytes, glucose for energy, vitamin C and B vitamins, betaine, glycine and probiotics. Reduces transport stress and dehydration, helps early navel healing, and lowers the chance of yolk sac infection and early mortality. No need for jaggery, sugar or salt solutions. Antibiotic free. Also in 250 g (₹295).

Dose: 3–4 g per litre of drinking water for the first 72 hours, which is 50–70 g per 1000 chicks per day. Prepare the solution before the chicks arrive.

500 g ₹565MRP ₹898

Alceau herbal antimicrobial for poultry by IMN Pyrophos

Herbal antimicrobial · bestseller

Alceau

Herbal formula from onion, garlic, tulsi and cinnamon extracts. Helps prevent early chick mortality in brooding (day 2–7), helps yolk absorption, and helps reduce deaths from respiratory infections such as CRD and from bacterial infections. Also in 250 g (₹395).

Dose: in the IMN winter schedule 15 g per 1,000 chicks in the next water on days 2, 3 and 4 (and 100 g per 1,000 birds on day 21); moderate infection 1 g per 8 kg body weight or 1 g per litre of water; in feed 1 kg per tonne.

500 g ₹741MRP ₹1,190

Product details: Easy Brood · Alceau.

4. Day-wise brooding temperature chart (day 1 to 21)

These are air temperatures at chick level (5–10 cm above the litter) in the area where chicks rest. Keep the litter at 28–30°C in the first days. Lower the temperature slowly; never drop 3–4°C in a single day. Different breeds and hatcheries give slightly different charts, so follow your hatchery or breed manual where it differs, and always check the chicks themselves.

Day°C at chick level°F (approx.)Note
Day 132–3390–91Floor 28–30°C before chicks arrive; crop check at 8 h
Day 232–3390–91Crop check at 24 h; watch at night
Day 332–3390–91Start removing paper as it gets dirty
Day 431–3288–90First widening of the ring
Day 531–3288–90
Day 630–3186–88
Day 730–3186–88Weigh chicks: 4.5–5x day-old weight
Day 829–3084–86Widen the ring again
Day 929–3084–86
Day 102984Slowly increase ventilation
Day 1128–2982–84
Day 1228–2982–84
Day 132882
Day 142882Weigh again; most chick guards can go
Day 15–1627–2881–82Keep heat ready for cold nights
Day 17–182781
Day 19–2026–2779–81
Day 212679After this, 21–26°C as the birds grow

Under a gas brooder or near a bukhari the spot directly under the heat will be hotter than this table, and the edge of the ring cooler. That is fine, as long as the chicks rest in a wide, even circle around the heat.

5. Read the chicks, not just the thermometer

The thermometer tells you the air; the chicks tell you how they feel. Look at them quietly from the door before you walk in.

What you seeWhat it meansWhat to do
Chicks huddled tightly under or near the heater, loud distress chirpingToo coldAdd heat, lower the brooder a little, check for draughts and a cold floor
Chicks far away from the heater, near the guard, panting with open beaks, wings droopingToo hotReduce heat or raise the brooder; give a little more air
Chicks crowded on one side of the ringDraught from the other side, or uneven heat or lightFind and close the gap; check curtains and the heater position
Chicks spread evenly, some eating, some drinking, some resting; soft chirpingComfortableKeep it this way
Chicks lying flat and still, sleepy, gasping near a coal or gas heaterPossible gas (CO) problemVentilate at once, check the heater and chimney

Two more tricks: hold a chick’s feet against your cheek or neck; cold feet mean a cold floor. And the most important check of the day is at 2–4 am, the coldest part of the night, when heaters run low and most chilling happens.

6. Stocking density and gradual expansion

Starting chicks in a smaller area saves fuel and keeps them close to heat, feed and water. But if you do not widen the area on time, chicks get crowded, the litter gets wet and growth slows. As a general guide for open-sided sheds:

AgeFloor space per chick (approx.)Chicks per sq ft (approx.)What to do
Day 1–30.3–0.35 sq ft3–3.5Small ring around the heat
Day 4–70.4–0.5 sq ft2–2.5Widen the guard every 2–3 days
Day 8–140.6–0.75 sq ft1.3–1.7Remove guards step by step, open more of the shed
Day 15–210.8–1 sq ft1–1.25Full shed by about day 18–21
  • Widen the ring in the warmer daytime, not in the evening.
  • Before opening a new part of the shed, warm it and its litter first, so the chicks do not walk onto a cold floor.
  • Move feeders and drinkers out with the guard so they stay evenly spread.
  • Final density depends on your shed, season and target weight. Many farms keep around 1 sq ft per bird for a 2–2.5 kg broiler; follow your integrator or vet for your shed.

7. Feeder and drinker spacing

EquipmentDay 1–7 (approx.)Day 8–14 (approx.)
Chick feeder tray / paper1 tray per 100 chicks, plus feed on paper for 2–3 daysChange slowly to tube or linear feeders
Tube/round feederAdd from day 4–5 next to the traysAbout 1 per 30–40 birds (depends on size)
Jar/fount drinker (3–5 L)1 per 50–75 chicksAdd bell drinkers as the birds grow
Nipple drinkerAbout 1 nipple per 10–15 chicks, nipple at eye levelRaise the line so birds drink with a slight upward stretch
  • Keep the drinker lip at the height of the chick’s back as they grow, so water is not spilled into the litter.
  • Clean jar drinkers every day. Feed and water troughs should never stay empty.
  • Remove wet litter around drinkers every morning and add dry husk. For more, read wet litter and loose droppings in winter.

8. Gut health support in the brooding period

A chick’s gut is almost empty of good bacteria when it hatches. The first days decide which bacteria settle there. Good brooding (warmth, early feed and clean water) is the base. Alongside it, many farmers give a probiotic in the first days to help build healthy gut flora, support yolk absorption and keep droppings normal.

Remipro probiotic and prebiotic gut conditioner for broiler chicks by IMN Pyrophos

Gut health · bestseller

Remipro

Probiotics, prebiotic (MOS) and Saccharomyces with betaine, methionine and vitamin C. Restores healthy gut flora, reduces loose droppings, improves digestion and FCR, supports navel healing and helps reduce yolk sac infection in chicks.

Dose: in brooding, 1 g per 100 chicks; routine gut health 1 g per 8 kg body weight or 1 g per litre of water; for loose droppings and infections 1 g per 5 kg body weight or 2 g per litre.

500 g ₹626MRP ₹950

Product details: Remipro. A probiotic does not replace warmth or clean water; if chicks are cold, fix the temperature first.

9. Minimum ventilation vs heat retention

This is the hardest balance in winter. Farmers close everything to save heat, but chicks still need oxygen, and the shed must get rid of moisture, ammonia and the gases from heaters. A closed, damp shed is a major cause of CRD, E. coli and infectious bronchitis. Read about infectious bronchitis (IB) in poultry, which spreads fast in poorly ventilated winter sheds.

  • Minimum ventilation means a small, regular exchange of air, not opening the shed wide. Even on the coldest night there should be some fresh air coming in.
  • In curtain sheds, lower the top flap of the curtain a few inches on the side away from the wind, especially in the warm afternoon hours. Never lift curtains from the bottom.
  • If you have exhaust fans, run them on a timer (for example a short run every few minutes) rather than full-time.
  • The nose test: if you smell ammonia or your eyes sting when you walk in, ventilation is too low. Aim to keep ammonia below about 10 ppm. Heavy moisture on the inside of curtains in the morning also means too little air.
  • Keep incoming cold air above the chicks, not on them. Draughts at bird level chill chicks even when the thermometer looks fine.
  • Increase ventilation step by step after day 10, as the birds produce more heat and moisture.

For full winter shed management, see winter management in poultry farming.

10. Humidity

  • In the first days, a relative humidity of about 60–70% keeps chicks from drying out. After the first week, around 50–65% is fine.
  • Too dry (common with coal and electric heaters): chicks dehydrate, dust goes up, and early mortality and dry, pasted vents increase. Keeping water in open trays near the heater, out of chicks’ reach, or lightly misting the walkway can help.
  • Too wet (common in closed sheds): wet litter, ammonia, cold floor, foot and gut problems. Increase minimum ventilation and remove wet litter.
  • A cheap digital thermo-hygrometer hung at chick height shows both temperature and humidity.

11. Lighting programme in the first two weeks

  • Days 1–7: nearly continuous light (about 23 hours light, 1 hour dark) with bright, even light at chick level, so chicks find feed and water easily. The 1 hour of dark gets them used to a power cut without panic.
  • From day 7–8: slowly give a longer dark period (step by step to about 4–6 hours of dark per night), and reduce light brightness. A dark period helps leg health, immunity and steady growth.
  • Avoid dark corners and strong shadows in the brooding area; chicks crowd into the bright spots.
  • Follow your breed manual or integrator’s programme if they give a different one.

12. Weighing at day 7 and day 14

  • On day 7, weigh at least 50–100 chicks (or about 1–2% of the flock) taken from different parts of the ring.
  • Target: about 4.5–5 times the day-old weight. A 40 g chick should weigh about 180–200 g on day 7.
  • If the average is low, look first at brooding temperature (especially at night), water access, feed on paper, feeder space and chick quality.
  • Also look at uniformity. If many chicks are very small, split them into a separate pen near the heat with extra feed and water.
  • Weigh again on day 14 and compare with the weight chart of your breed (your hatchery or integrator can give it).
  • First-week mortality should usually stay under 1%. If it is higher, call your vet and send dead chicks for post-mortem.

13. Supporting immunity and vaccination in the cold

Cold, transport, crowding and the first vaccinations all stress young chicks. Follow the vaccination schedule from your hatchery or vet (it varies by region and integrator). Give vaccines in clean, cool, sanitizer-free water in the morning. Our winter broiler medicine schedule shows where each step fits. Around vaccination and in stressful cold spells, an antioxidant immunity support can help:

Nexamune immune booster for broiler chicks by IMN Pyrophos

Immune booster

Nexamune

Vitamin E, selenium, amla, tulsi and ashwagandha extracts, vitamin C, vitamin D and niacin: an antioxidant shield that supports immunity. Supports the immune system in outbreaks like IB, ND, Gumboro, IBH and LPAI, reduces the severity of CRD and other respiratory problems, and helps reduce the chance of vaccination failure.

Dose: 1 ml per litre of water or 15 ml per 100 birds for immunity and stress; 2 ml per litre of water before and after vaccination; 25–30 ml per 100 birds during viral outbreaks.

1 L ₹644MRP ₹1,190

Product details: Nexamune. Give supplements in fresh water as the label says, and do not give any medicine or antibiotic on guesswork; ask your vet first.

14. Day 1 to day 14 daily checklist

DayTemp at chick levelKey jobs
Before arrivalFloor 28–30°C, air 32–33°CPre-heat 24–48 h, litter 4 inches, double curtains, ring ready, drinkers filled, CO and gas check, backup heat ready
Day 132–33°CCount and check chicks, weigh sample, Easy Brood 70 g/1000 on arrival then Vitaden H 30 ml, feed on paper, dip beaks, crop check at 8 h, night check
Day 232–33°CEasy Brood 70 g, then Alceau 15 g, crop check at 24 h (over 95%), remove weak chicks, refill feed often, check the 2–4 am behaviour
Day 332–33°CPyrocal B 40 ml, then Alceau 15 g, remove dirty paper, clean drinkers, record deaths, check humidity
Day 431–32°CND-IB vaccine in the morning water (nothing else in it), Alceau 15 g in the next water, First ring widening (in daytime), add a few tube feeders, wet litter removal
Day 531–32°CCheck navels and vents for pasting, look at droppings, follow vaccine schedule if due
Day 630–31°CAdjust drinker height, check ammonia in the morning, fuel and gas stock
Day 730–31°CWeigh 50–100 chicks (target 4.5–5x day-old weight), add first dark period, review first-week mortality
Day 829–30°CWiden the ring, warm the new area first, move feeders and drinkers out
Day 929–30°CTurn litter lightly, remove caked patches, check night temperature on min-max thermometer
Day 1029°CIncrease minimum ventilation a little, check for draughts at bird level
Day 1128–29°CRemove some chick trays, rely more on tube feeders; check uniformity
Day 1228–29°CFollow vaccine schedule if due; clean water lines
Day 1328°COpen more of the shed, keep curtains closed at night, watch for respiratory sounds
Day 1428°CWeigh again, compare with breed chart, remove remaining guards, plan next two weeks

Every day: morning dead count and records, feed and water filled, wet litter removed; afternoon top-curtain airing if sunny; evening curtains closed, heaters, gas and backup checked; 2–4 am chick spread, temperature and smoke/gas check.

15. Common winter brooding mistakes

  • Starting heaters only when the chicks arrive. The air warms in an hour, the floor needs a day or more.
  • Measuring temperature near the roof instead of at chick level, and only checking air, not litter.
  • Sealing the shed completely for fear of cold, leading to ammonia, gas build-up, wet litter and respiratory disease.
  • Open angithi inside a closed shed, or bukhari pipes leaking smoke.
  • Ice-cold tank water on the first day.
  • Too few drinkers and feeders, or placing them far from the heat.
  • No night checks. Most chilling happens between midnight and dawn.
  • Widening the ring or cutting heat too early, or doing it in the cold evening.
  • Square corners in the brooding area, where chicks pile up and smother.
  • Not weighing on day 7, so a poor start is found only at the end of the batch.
  • Giving antibiotics on guesswork for early mortality instead of fixing brooding and calling the vet.

16. When to call the vet

Call your vet the same day if first-week mortality goes above about 1%, chicks are dull with pasted vents or swollen navels, many chicks are very small on day 7, you hear breathing sounds or sneezing in the shed, or deaths keep rising. Send fresh dead chicks for post-mortem. Give medicines only on a vet’s advice and keep withdrawal periods before sale.

Frequently asked questions

How many hours before chick arrival should I start the brooder in winter?

At least 24–36 hours, and up to 48 hours in severe cold or a big shed. The litter should reach 28–30°C and air at chick level 32–33°C before you open the chick boxes.

What temperature do broiler chicks need on day 1?

About 32–33°C (90–91°F) at chick level for the first 3 days, then lower slowly to about 30–31°C by day 7 and 28°C by day 14. Always confirm by watching how the chicks spread.

Is an angithi safe for brooding?

An open angithi gives off carbon monoxide and smoke and is the riskiest option. If you must use one, light it outside, bring it in only once the smoke stops, keep it away from curtains, and never seal the shed. A bukhari with a chimney or a gas brooder is safer.

Should I close all curtains at night in winter?

Close them to stop draughts, but leave a small opening at the top on the side away from the wind so some fresh air comes in. A fully sealed shed builds up ammonia, moisture and heater gases.

How much should a broiler chick weigh on day 7?

About 4.5–5 times its day-old weight, so roughly 180–200 g for a 40 g chick. Check against your breed’s weight chart.

Can I give sugar or glucose water to chicks?

Avoid jaggery, sugar and salt water. Sugar feeds harmful gut bacteria and can lead to loose droppings and yolk sac infection. On day 1 and 2 give Easy Brood 70 g per 1,000 chicks, and Alceau 15 g per 1,000 chicks in the next water on days 2, 3 and 4 (see the day 1 to 4 plan). After that, give plain clean lukewarm water.

When can I remove the chick guard?

Widen it every 2–3 days from day 4, and remove it step by step between about day 10 and 14, depending on the weather. Keep heat available for cold nights into the third week.

Want advice for your own batch? Send the chick age, bird count, a short video of the chicks under the brooder and your shed temperature on WhatsApp +91 98715 84101. Dr. Ibne Ali’s team will tell you what to fix first. Ask on WhatsApp

This is general guidance. Also follow your breed manual and hatchery advice, and consult a vet before giving any medicine.

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