1. Book Your Chicks or Ready-to-Lay Hens Early

Spring demand is high and hatcheries can sell out fast, especially if you have your eye on heritage breeds or point-of-lay hens. Give yourself at least four weeks’ lead time before your ideal start date. Some farmers even place orders in January to lock in availability.

Take stock of what your goals are for the season: If you want a steady supply of eggs, aim for breeds like Rhode Island Reds, Australorps, or ISA Browns.

Raising meat birds? Cornish Cross or Red Rangers are popular choices. And if you’re planning a mixed flock, be sure to separate your birds by age or size until they’re well integrated.

When you’re ordering, double-check your hatch date, pickup or shipping timelines, and the number of birds. Ordering a few extras is always a good idea since not all chicks survive the first few days.

Pro Tip: Check with your local hatchery to see what breeds they offer. They’ll often recommend birds that do well in your region’s climate. For example, here in Manitoba, Cornish and Bergs Grazer are the most commonly available meat birds.

If this is your first year, start with 6–10 birds. It's enough to get the hang of it without feeling overwhelmed.

2. Give Your Mobile Coop a Spring Clean

If your chicken tractor or mobile coop has been in storage all winter, now’s the time to clean it from top to bottom. Dust, old bedding, feathers, and droppings can harbour mould and bacteria that could lead to health issues down the line.

Start by removing any remaining bedding or debris and use a broom, shop-vac, or leaf blower to get into the corners. Wash the interior with a mild detergent or vinegar solution, and scrub the walls, floors, roost bars, nesting boxes, feeders, and waterers. We like using a pressure washer with a bit of chlorine—it cuts through grime quickly and gives you a fresh, clean slate for the season.

Rinse everything thoroughly and let the coop dry in full sun to naturally disinfect.

This is also a great time to inspect your mobile chicken coop for any wear and tear—check the wheels, latches, and frame, tighten bolts, repair rust spots, and replace anything broken. A clean, well-functioning coop keeps your flock much safer and makes your chores easier.

UKKÖ Tip: We’ve designed the ROVA|BARN with washability in mind. Its smooth walls, walk-in design, and durable construction mean you can clean and sanitize quickly with a hose. See how it works with a virtual demo today.

3. Choose Your Pasture Spot Wisely

Where you place your chicken coop in early spring can impact bird health, egg cleanliness, and even pasture regrowth.

Avoid low-lying areas where water tends to collect as wet ground leads to foot problems, bacteria buildup, and muddy eggs. Instead, we recommend choosing a dry, well-drained section of pasture with some sun and shade throughout the day.

It’s also a good idea to plan your rotation strategy now—map out where you want your chickens to move over the next few months, and keep in mind that overgrazed patches take longer to bounce back. For layers, rotating your birds every 5–7 days works well. For broilers—or any birds on limited pasture—it’s best to move them daily to manage manure and provide consistent access to fresh forage.

If your pasture needs a boost, consider seeding with fast-growing forage like clover, alfalfa, buckwheat, or ryegrass before moving your birds.

The ROVA|BARN makes this entire process easier. With automated movement settings, you can schedule moves multiple times per day without lifting a finger, ensuring your birds always have access to fresh grass.

4. Prep Bedding, Nesting Boxes, and Your Brooder Setup

Give your flock a cozy, clean place to settle in. For mature hens, refresh the nesting boxes with clean straw or pine shavings and make sure there's one communal nesting box for every 3-4 hens or 1 to 1.5 sqft of space per hen. Remove any leftover eggs or debris from last season.

If you're raising chicks, prep your brooder at least 24 hours before they arrive. This gives the space time to warm up and stabilize.

Your brooder should include:

• A heat source (like a heat lamp or brooder plate)
• Thermometer to monitor temp
• Feeder and waterer within easy reach
• Bedding (avoid newspaper—it's too slippery; pine shavings are better)
• Draft guards to keep chicks from getting chilled

Sanitize everything before setup. A clean brooder reduces the risk of coccidiosis and other early chick illnesses.

5. Stock Up on Feed—But Not Too Much

Freshness matters. Did you know that chicken feed loses nutrients quickly once it’s exposed to air, heat, and moisture? We recommend only buying what you can use in about 30 days.

For chicks, start with high-protein chick starter feed (18–20%) to support healthy growth. Around 6 weeks, you can transition to grower feed. Switch to layer feed (with added calcium) once hens start laying—usually around 18 weeks.

If you’re mixing your own feed, make your premix just before your chicks arrive. Use clean, airtight bins for storage.

Don’t forget:

• Grit - This is important for all birds. Depending on the type (chick, layer, turkey) and their age, they’ll need different grit sizes to break down food in the gizzard properly. If your soil doesn’t provide enough natural grit, you’ll need to supplement it.
• Oyster shell or other calcium sources – For layers to support eggshell strength.
• Electrolytes – Especially helpful for new chicks to reduce stress and support gut health.

Check your feeders for cracks or sharp edges and clean them before refilling.

6. Settle Your Birds In

Once your coop is clean, your feed is stocked, and your bedding is fresh, it’s time to bring in the birds!

Handle the chicks gently and place them directly under the heat source. Dip each beak in the water so they learn to drink, and make sure feeders are easy to reach. For adult birds, let them explore the coop slowly and keep an eye out for any signs of bullying.

Monitor their behaviour closely in the first 24 hours—are the chicks eating and drinking? Are they huddled under the lamp or spread out comfortably? Adjust the temperature and spacing as needed.

Avoid overcrowding. Each chick needs at least 0.5 square feet in the brooder to start, and as they grow, they’ll need more space.

If you're starting with layers or pullets, check for any signs of stress during the transition. It’s also helpful to keep the area calm and avoid any sudden changes in light or temperature. If you're starting early in the season, you could consider adding supplemental lighting to provide 14–16 hours of light per day. This helps support healthy development and, for layers, makes sure egg production stays consistent.

The ROVA|BARN includes built-in brooder options, temperature controls, and optional lighting and nesting boxes for layers—all managed through the mobile app—so you can raise your birds comfortably from day one. Book a virtual demo today.

7. Keep Chicks Warm and Hydrated

Newly hatched chicks can’t regulate their own body temperature, so a stable, warm environment is really key.

• Week 1: Keep the brooder at 95°F (35°C)
• Each week after: Reduce temp by 5°F until they’re feathered (around 6 weeks)

Use a brooder plate or heat lamp, but make sure there’s also a cooler area where chicks can move away if they get too warm.

Hydration is just as important—one trick we like to use is adding electrolyte mix to their water for the first few days to help with stress and hydration. Clean and refill their waterers daily to prevent disease.

If you notice pasty butt (dried droppings around the vent), gently clean it with warm water. This is a common issue but it can be fatal if it’s left untreated.

8. Time to Pasture!

Once your birds are established and the weather is warm enough, it’s time to pasture. For chicks, this can be as early as 3–4 weeks, depending on the season—especially if they’re already hopping the brooder walls! Just make sure they’re mostly feathered and the nighttime temperatures are stable. Some farmers begin pasturing meat birds at 3 weeks to maximize their time on pasture, particularly if they plan to process them at 8 weeks.

For older birds, give them a few days to adjust to their new coop before introducing pasture rotation.

Daily pasture checks should include:

• Feed and water levels
• Coop condition and predator protection
• Signs of illness or injury
• Egg collection and nesting box cleanliness

Give your birds enrichment too: a dust bath area, hanging greens, or logs to perch on keep them engaged and reduce pecking (moving your flock helps with this too!).

Remember to move your chicken tractor regularly to avoid buildup of manure and parasites. Fresh pasture means healthier birds, richer eggs, and better soil.

With a ROVA|BARN automated barn, you can schedule multiple moves per day through the app to keep your flock on fresh ground—without the daily labour.