How fast do baby chicks grow?

[CritterDepot]

Raising chickens is a fun endeavor!  But many newbies might be unprepared.  Especially with how fast day old chicks grow.  We documented the day by day process, and showed how fast a baby chick will grow in its first few weeks of life.   It’s amazing to see how a little fuzz ball can quickly develop into an egg-laying machine.  You can see the full process in our chicken growth guide that goes into full detail.

Summary

A baby chick that is 1 day old won’t eat on her first day, but she’ll need water and radiant heat (95 degrees F) in her brooder.

Chicks – 1 day old

Day old chicks will stand at about 4″ tall, and easily fit inside your hand.  They are very shy and easily frightened.  But once they reach their first week, you’re looking at an entirely new bird:

Chicks – 7 days old

They’ll grow about 50% after their first week, and stand nearly 6″ tall.  And if you look close, they’ll start to show off their primary feathers on the tips of their wings.  These chicks are still predominantly covered in down feathers, but in a about 1 more week, their wings will be fully covered in primary feathers:

Chicks – 12 days old

Once they hit this 12 day mark, you’ll want to make sure their brooder has a lid, or very high walls.  With the feathers developing on their wings, these curious birds can easily clear 2′ high side walls.  So unless you want birds running freely in your garage, barn, or house, definitely give them a roof.

Once these girls hit the 4 week mark, they’re basically no longer resemble chicks.  These girls are nearly fully feathers, with only a little bit of down feathers left on their heads and neck.  At this age, they’re ready to eat more than starter food, and you can offer them some hearty snacks like superworms, black soldier fly larvae, or mealworms.  But remember that these should only be an occasional snack, and that the need to use their pre-blended starter feed as their main cuisine.

Chick – 28 days old

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