Chicks are more sensitive to cold than adult birds because their small body is not ready to properly regulate body temperature and their feathers don’t offer very good protection. Therefore, it is important to provide a warm environment for their first days of life and properly evaluate their comfort.
You can observe if chicks are cold by their behavior. Cold chicks huddle together for warmth. It is also recommended to measure the chick temperature by using a medical ear thermometer in the chick`s vent. Measuring chick vent temperature is very important right after placement and during the first days of brooding. Vent temperature should be between 39.4 – 40.5℃. If the vent temperature is colder in all chicks make adjustments to the temperature in your barn. If the temperature is colder in just some of the chicks, check for wet litter spots and cold air drafts and fix the problem.
Research has shown that cold stress early in life can affect broiler performance by reducing body weight gain until 21 days of age (Ferraz et al., 2017) and increasing mortality (Ipek and Sahan, 2006).
For more details and a step-by-step process on how to measure chick vent temperature check How to…Check your chicks are comfortable.
References:
Ferraz P. F. P., Junior T. Y., Lima R. R., Ferraz G. A. S., Xin H. Performance of broiler chicks subjected to thermal challenge. Pesquisa Agropecuaria Brasileira 52 (2), p. 113-120, 2017.
Ipek A. and Sahan U. Effects of cold stress on broiler performance and ascites susceptibility. Asian Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 19 (5), p. 734-738, 2006.
Thania joined PIP as the PIP Extension technician in 2021.
