I’d keep this one warm and conversational, with a little “can you believe it?” moment about the temperature difference.

🐥 Welcome to the Brooder

This is our brooder—the very first home for the chicks when they arrive at the ranch, often on their very first day of life.

When they arrive, they’re tiny, vulnerable, and completely dependent on us to keep them warm and safe.

The brooder is filled with fresh shavings, protected from predators, and equipped with both heat lamps and an internal heater.

And here’s the part that’s pretty amazing.

Even if it’s –10 or –15°C outside, we can maintain temperatures of around +30°C inside.

Yep—you heard that right.

For their first week of life, these little birds need temperatures around 30°C to thrive. As they grow, we gradually reduce the amount of heat they need and allow them to acclimatize to the outdoors.

They have their food and water right here, so everything they need is close by.

And because too much heat can be just as much of a problem as too little, we can open the windows to bring in fresh air and provide ventilation when things start getting a little too warm.

In the summer, the chicks will typically spend about two weeks in the brooder before they're ready to move outside.

But during our shoulder seasons—when Manitoba weather can be unpredictable—they may stay here for up to a month.

Once they're strong, feathered and ready, they graduate from the brooder and head outside to begin life on pasture.