Brooding new chicks in the coop...what problems will I face?

[MoonShadows]

Thanks BoomCickaPop. You say they are ready to leave the brooder in about 4 weeks. When you say make sure they don't get into the mature hens' pen because they might get hurt, do you mean before the 4 weeks...and after the 4 weeks it should be OK?

I thought I had a pic of the area I want to use. I will take a pic tomorrow and post it.

I would appreciate your further insights then.

Thanks!

 

[BoomChickaPop]

Thanks BoomCickaPop. You say they are ready to leave the brooder in about 4 weeks. When you say make sure they don't get into the mature hens' pen because they might get hurt, do you mean before the 4 weeks...and after the 4 weeks it should be OK?

I thought I had a pic of the area I want to use. I will take a pic tomorrow and post it.

I would appreciate your further insights then.

Thanks!

Your welcome
Yes I mean before 4 weeks even after you can never underestimate a mature hen.
Just until they have all their feathers but always see how the mature birds act.

 

[MoonShadows]

Thanks carfarmgirl. I know I am a little short on coop space, but by May, when the chicks arrive....and if I don't let them into the "general population" until they are 10 weeks old (July),they will have about 3-4 acres to free range from Spring until first snow fall. Do you still think this may be a problem? I do know there will be pecking order issues in the coop and on the roost (3.2 sq ft per bird); that is inevitable even no matter how much space they have.

 

[MoonShadows]

Quote:
Thanks for your advice. I will keep an eye on all this, and I appreciate your feedback!

 

[BoomChickaPop]

Thanks for your advice. I will keep an eye on all this, and I appreciate your feedback!

Your welcome

 

[MoonShadows]

First, let me thank everyone for responding with some great information, guidance and precautions.

As mentioned earlier, the coop is 10 x 8. The poop board is 8 x 3. If I use the entire area under the poop board, that will give me 24 sq ft to work with, but cuts the size of the coop for the 10 adults down to 56 sq ft...still enough for them since they have access to their 160 sq ft run and can free range on the property once I open the run door in the morning.

The poop board is 30" off the ground...not enough space I don't think to build the brooder up off the floor under the poop board and still give the adults the 24 sq ft under the brooder...do you think?

I have an EcoGlow 20 Chick Brooder which I will use as the heat source. I think it is much safer than a heat lamp in a coop, and will give them access to a heat source 24/7 so they can easily come back from exploring the rest of the brooder. This is a pic of my chicks under it the last time I brooded in the basement of my house.




Since I will be getting them the first week of May temperatures should not be a problem as the average temps are between 46 and 72 degrees in this area in May.

 

[aart]

@MoonShadows I'd use the whole height under there, just for your own access ease.
Remember that the poop board is part of your sqft, mine often hang out up there when the weather keeps them inside.

Another idea from another thread would be instead of little chick doors, leave the whole edge of the partition up a few inches from the floor,
like a creep feeder chicks can get under but big birds can't.

Would be easy to do with the vertical structure you have there.

ETA.....was really excited about this idea but just realized bedding might be a problem that the higher chick doors would not have.

 

[MoonShadows]

You're right aart about using the whole height. At 60 y/o "comfort" for me is a must. I don't bend and twist like I used to! And, I forgot that the roost and poop board count as square footage. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Something you might want to consider. Mine’s higher, but I made the bottom of the brooder using ½” hardware cloth. Until they get to be about 12 to 16 weeks old the poop falls on through. I put bins under it to make removing the pure poop for my compost really easy. Some hardware cloth has little sharp nibs in it from the galvanizing process but all those should be on the same size. Point those down so they don’t cut up their feet on them if your hardware cloth has them.

I’d be tempted to make the brooder 18” tall so the bottom is about a foot off the floor. Put trays under there to catch the poop so you can just slide them out to clean. There are some issues with this. Your adults will go under there, which should not be a problem unless they decide to start laying under there. That’s part of why my plastic goes all the way to the floor, to keep the hens from laying under there. The plastic also blocks any air from coming in under the chicks, a draft guard. Even with the trays you will at some point have to clean under there. A foot height should give you room. At least that should be pretty rare.

I’d put a piece of plywood or some sort of tray under your EcoGlow just to help trap heat and provide draft protection. To clean that, just turn it over. The stuff should fall right through.

I understand about the body not doing what it used to. A whole lot about the way I do things is for my comfort. Those chickens are small and nimble. They can take care of themselves.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Cafarmgirl, have you ever seen a 10 week old chick stand up to and fight an adult? I never have, mine always run away. My pullets won’t do that until they are pretty mature, usually when they start to lay. Who can say about cockerels? I’ve had some scuffle hens at 4 months, some running from hens at 11 months. I’m not trying to criticize your choice of 10 weeks, it obviously works for you and is best for you. I’ve just never seen a 10 week old chicks stand up to adults. A lot of people quote 16 weeks. I’ve never seen a pullet stand up to a hen at 16 weeks either. I do think the less room you have the older they should be when you integrate.

It's not so much that they stand up and fight, no I don't observe that behavior, it's more that they are just bigger and better able to get away. And better able to withstand the pecking they do get compared to a much younger, smaller bird. I should try to word things a little different sometimes, not always the best at getting my point across with the written word lol. But that's why I choose 10-12 weeks to integrate. When I had a good, mature rooster I'd integrate younger sometimes, he did a good job of keeping the older hens in line.