First Flock Planner — Printable PDF

Everything you need to know before your chicks arrive — in one printable guide.

Most first-time chicken keepers scramble. They order chicks, then figure out the brooder. They Google "what temperature should my brooder be" at 11 PM the night before pickup. This planner is the thing they wished they had.

The First Flock Planner is a 9-page printable PDF designed to walk you through your first 8 weeks with baby chicks — from brooder setup through coop transition. Built from USDA and university extension research. Practical, plain, and print-ready.

What's Inside

• Coop Setup Checklist — Everything to have ready before your chicks ship. Brooder, heat source, bedding, feeders, waterers, and outdoor coop requirements.
• 8-Week Brooder Calendar — Week-by-week temperature targets, key milestones, weekly tasks, and a notes column. Fill in your arrival date and count forward.
• Daily Health Checklist — Morning routine covering temperature, water, feed, vent checks, droppings, behavior, and brooder hygiene.
• Common Health Issues Reference — Pasty butt, coccidiosis, spraddle leg, wry neck, brooder pneumonia, and failure to thrive. Signs to watch and what to do.
• Feeding & Weight Log — Starter-to-grower-to-layer feed transition guide plus an 8-week tracking table for feed type, consumption, and spot-check weights.
• Quick Reference Card — One-page summary of the full 8 weeks. Print it and tape it to the brooder.

Product Details

• 9-page printable PDF
• Letter size (8.5" x 11"), print at home or at any print shop
• Instant digital download — no shipping, no waiting
• Works for any breed, any flock size

This planner is for educational reference. Consult a poultry veterinarian or your local cooperative extension service for region-specific guidance.