Will a 43(L)23(W)18(Deep) brooder be enough for 12 birds?

They will be ok until around 3 weeks and then you will be hoping to get them out to the coop soon. LOL! They will be crowded when they get bigger. If you are planning to get them into the coop at that age, then you will be ok. If they are going to spend 6 weeks in there closed up with no free range abilities, then I'd say it's kind of crowded if you ask me.

I have my almost 4 week olds out in the shed with 300 watts of light coming and going out the pop door. Mild winter though. Tougher winters I'd keep them closed up longer. I put them out there at three weeks. Definitely I follow the heat guidelines but like to give them freedom to leave the coop at three weeks. Before then, they aren't smart enough to come back in and might freeze to death.

Here are the pro's space recommendations increasing over time for chicks on the chick care page:

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/chickcare.html
 

I just had another thought. You could buy two of the totes and put the heat lamp above them both...divide the chicks in two areas for more space. I have done this with metal galvanized tubs. Watch where the heat is though to keep safe from fire. Here is another link:

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKRaisingChicks.html

Edited to add: on second thought I think you would need two lamps due to the edge of the plastic getting too hot between the totes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ragerkid2 

Thanks for the reply! I did the whole two tote thing last year and it was very hectic because my coop wasn't done and older birds in my garage. This year will be easier tho. I wish I had one of those nice ones I see on here. Haha

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/kathyinmos-brooders

scroll down to see what someone did with some cardboard boxes and probably a tarp underneath

I edited my post above, btw.

I am getting the same tote for my brooder, but I will only have 4 chicks. Will that get me thru until they are feathered out (or at least close)?