A close-up of a single chick standing on grass, showcasing its healthy growth and active behavior, a testament to the ROVA CSK100 brooding system’s efficiency.

The Perfect Coop Setup for Brooding

Brooding season is a fun time on the farm, and whether you’re a seasoned farmer or hatching your very first flock, there’s nothing like watching your fluffy chicks thrive.

But setting up the perfect brooding coop can sometimes be a challenge—get it wrong, and you’re dealing with stressed-out chicks, endless cleaning, and even some sleepless nights.

We know the struggle because we’ve been there. As farmers and engineers, we’ve spent years figuring out our own brooding setup that actually works—one that keeps our chicks (and ourselves!) happy.

Now, with the ROVA|BARN, we combined our hands-on farming experience and Dan’s knack for problem-solving to create a system that makes brooding season a lot easier.

Let’s look at what it takes to set up the perfect brooding coop for your flock and how the ROVA|BARN can help.

A brooding setup with yellow chicks feeding and resting in a controlled environment. The area features red feeding trays, a water dispenser, and heating plates to ensure optimal conditions for young chickens.

Why Brooding Setup Matters

The first few weeks of a chick's life are some of its most important—it’s when they’re more vulnerable to temperature fluctuations, poor ventilation, and overcrowding, which can all lead to stress and health problems.

A well-thought-out brooding setup helps your chicks grow stronger, reduces risks of illness, and sets them up for a healthy life.

A close-up of a chick standing in front of the ROVA CSK100 system. The chick is outdoors on grass, exploring its environment with bright orange heat lamps visible in the background.

Common Mistakes in Brooding Coops

When you’re setting up a brooding coop, there are a few big pitfalls that can trip you up—we’ve seen them plenty of times and, honestly, made a few of them ourselves in the early days! Knowing what to watch out for can save you a lot of headaches and keep your chicks on the right track from day one.

Inconsistent Temperature Control

Overheating or underheating is one of the most common issues in brooding setups, and it can have serious consequences for your chicks' health. Chicks rely on consistent warmth to regulate their body temperature, especially in the first few weeks, so fluctuating temperatures can lead to stress, poor growth, and increased susceptibility to illness.

Overcrowding

When chicks are packed into a space that’s too small, they can become stressed, aggressive, or even injure each other. Overcrowding also increases the risk of disease transmission, as they have limited room to move away from dirty bedding or contaminated areas.

Poor Ventilation

High humidity and ammonia buildup from droppings can harm chicks’ respiratory systems, making them more vulnerable to infections. A poorly ventilated coop traps moisture and odours, creating an unhealthy environment that can stunt growth and affect overall health.

Inappropriate Bedding

Hard or dirty bedding can irritate chicks’ delicate feet, leading to sores or infections. Using the wrong bedding material (like one that retains moisture) can also promote bacteria and fungal growth and put your chicks at risk for illness.

Yellow chicks feeding in an organized brooding system with gray and red feeding trays, a water pipeline, and the ROVA CSK100 system in the background. The setup ensures a clean and efficient space for poultry rearing.

What’s the Ideal Brooding Environment?

The ideal brooding setup is all about giving your chicks the best possible start in life. Here’s what every great brooding coop needs:

Temperature: Start at 90°F (32°C) for day-old chicks, gradually lowering by 5°F each week.
Space: For the first four weeks, chicks need around 1/2 square foot each, and as they grow, they’ll need more room for movement and development. Flexible options like the ROVA|BARN make it really easy to adjust space by removing the skirt perimeter as your flock gets bigger.
Ventilation: Make sure there’s good airflow without drafts to reduce humidity and ammonia.
Bedding: Use absorbent materials like wood shavings, straw, or peat moss, and replace them regularly to maintain cleanliness.

Two young chicks feeding from a gray and red feeding tray filled with corn-based feed. The tray is part of a modern brooding system placed on fresh grass.

Seasonal Adjustments for Brooding

The season you’re in can make a big difference in how you set up your brooding coop. Here’s what to keep in mind for each time of year:

Spring and Fall

With the lower temps in spring and fall, keeping your coop warm is really important for the chicks’ healthy development.

You should add extra insulation to your coop or use supplemental heat sources to keep the temperature consistent, especially during chillier nights. Spring and fall also tend to have fluctuating weather, so it’s important to monitor the conditions closely and adjust your coop as needed.

Summer

In the summer, overheating is a major risk for your chicks, so ventilation should be your top priority.

Proper airflow helps reduce heat buildup inside the brooding coop, and it keeps chicks cool and prevents heat stress. Try positioning the coop in a shaded area and using adjustable ventilation options like flaps or fans to maintain a comfortable temperature.

Winter

Depending on where you live, brooding in winter can be challenging because of extreme temperatures and the amount of energy required to maintain warmth. Without a controlled environment and a highly insulated building, chicks in some climates are at risk of cold stress, which can slow growth and increase feed consumption as they burn energy to stay warm.

While ROVA|BARNs aren’t designed for winter brooding, they work well in other seasons, which makes them a useful farm tool for most climates.

Chicks resting and exploring under red heat lamps within the ROVA CSK100 brooding system. The soil-based floor provides a natural and comfortable environment for the poultry.

The Best Heating Options

Providing consistent heat for your chicks is necessary during the brooding period. Common heating methods include heat lamps (super affordable and widely used), brooder plates that mimic the warmth of a hen, and radiant heat panels that distribute heat evenly.

Each option has its benefits, but all will require careful monitoring to avoid overheating or underheating. For example, chicks clustering under the heat source might indicate that it’s too cold, while staying far away suggests it’s too hot. A reliable heating system with adjustable controls can help maintain the ideal temperature as chicks grow and their needs change.

UKKÖ's ROVA|CSK Brooders are equipped with adjustable temperature controls, allowing farmers to maintain the precise heat levels chicks need as they grow.

Bedding Basics

Clean, dry bedding is really important for keeping your chicks comfortable and maintaining good hygiene in the brooding coop.

Popular options include soft, absorbent wood shavings, straw, and peat moss, which is gentle on chicks’ feet and helps absorb odours. Try to avoid hard or compact materials that can injure chicks or trap moisture, which can create an environment prone to bacteria and disease.

A complete brooding system setup featuring the ROVA CSK100 with red heat lamps, feeding trays, and water dispensers. Yellow chicks are scattered throughout the enclosed space, highlighting the system’s functionality.

Brooding with ROVA|BARN

We created the ROVA|BARN with one goal in mind: to make your life as a farmer easier, especially during brooding. Here’s how the ROVA|BARN helps:

Adjust the heat with CSK Brooders, which have transparent panels on top that let you quickly check if chicks are crowded underneath without disturbing them.
Open or close flaps to balance airflow and temperature for optimal ventilation.
Remove the skirting after three weeks to let chicks adjust to the grass for a few days. Then, drive the ROVA|BARN over the skirting to spread the bedding, giving your chicks full access to the pasture and starting them as pasture-raised birds.
Use the fully integrated system to brood chicks and easily prepare them for pasture life.
Monitor your flock in real time with cameras inside the barn, even when you’re not there.
Set automatic feeding and watering systems to save time and focus on other tasks.
Keep chicks safe with electrified skirting that protects them from predators.

The ROVA CSK100 brooding system illuminated at night with an orange glow. The solar panel on top showcases the system's sustainable and energy-efficient design.

Final Thoughts

UKKÖ Robotics started on a Canadian dairy farm with the goal of making pasture-based farming accessible to everyone.

We (Dan and Kat!) combined our expertise in farming and engineering to design the ROVA|BARN—a smart automated barn that simplifies brooding, reduces labour, and supports sustainable practices.

Solar-powered, easy to maintain, and designed with animal welfare in mind, the ROVA helps farmers embrace the best of modern technology.

Curious how a ROVA|BARN can fit into your farm?

Book a demo or contact us to learn how to make your brooding season even smarter with UKKÖ Robotics.