The brooding period, generally considered as the period of time from placement through 14 days, is perhaps the most important time in a bird’s life. Survival of the newly hatched chick is largely dependant on how quickly and efficiently the transition is made from the Hatcher to the farm environment. At no other time during the flock’s life is a service person’s and producer’s job more important. Mistakes made during this critical time may be irreversible and negatively impact performance for the entire life of the flock.