How long can they stay in this space?

[underground chickenman]

I have 70 coturnix chicks in a 2' x 4' brooder with a one gallon waterer and a feed of about the same diameter. I was hoping to be able to keep them in this brooder until I move them to pens of 4 birds each at 3 weeks of age (1 male - 3 females, assuming I can tell the difference by then). What are my chances? At one week, they seem to be doing fine, but it is going to get crowded fast at the rate they are growing. Can I go two more weeks in that space?

Thanks for your anticipated responses.

UGCM

 

[aprophet]

I had 40 in the largest rubbermaid container I could find for two weeks on shavings I split them into 2 containers 18-22 in each one at the end of 2 weeks they went outside at not quiet 3 weeks old the bigger ones first, they were all in a colony pen about 3 1/2 weeks

 

[optic1]

I agree on that one. I had them in the Sterlite walmart containers it's about 18"x24", started at 50 in each one, got crowded quick. Went down to 40 around week one, 30 week two and 20 at week three. Next week I'll go down to 15 in each till they go outside. You can kinda tell, it just looks crowded. I did this last time and it worked well. Since I only do 8 containers I sell off about 130 of the 250 so I can have my 120 chicks I hold back. Right now the overnight low the othere night was 33 deg. so I think thats to cold for outside yet. Were back to the 40's for overnights now.