12 Chicks in March!

[FarmBoy25]

Hello, I'm getting chicks March 2nd, and need any advice. We have pine bedding, starter/grower feed, grit, and waterer/feeder. Our breeds are 2 of each Buff Orpington, Asutralorp, Plymouth Rocks, RIR, Speckled Sussex, and Easter Eggers. I also have a severe case of chick fever.

 

[Missbc]

Congrats!!!

Are you brooding them inside or out? What are you using to keep them warm?

Maybe add some nutrudrench to keep onhand, especially if getting them thru the mail.

 

[FarmBoy25]

Inside, and we are using an infared 250 watt heat lamp. We aren't getting through mail, we have to pick them up in Smithsburg.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

what type of brooder are you using? You really don’t need grit as the starter fed has it in it. Have you already got a coop? You’ll need 48sqft of space at least.

 

[FarmBoy25]

what type of brooder are you using? You really don’t need grit as the starter fed has it in it. Have you already got a coop? You’ll need 48sqft of space at least.

Yes, and from my calculations, we have enough space for 24 chickens inside. You need 10 sqft per chicken outside correct?
As for brooder, we are going to be setting up either a cardboard built one, or using a plastic storage container. Also, how much space do I need in the brooder?

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Yes, and from my calculations, we have enough space for 24 chickens inside. You need 10 sqft per chicken outside correct?
As for brooder, we are going to be setting up either a cardboard built one, or using a plastic storage container. Also, how much space do I need in the brooder?

1/2sqft-1sqft per chick for brooder
4sqFt per chicken in coop
10sqft per chicken in run.

 

[FarmBoy25]

1/2sqft-1sqft per chick for brooder
4sqFt per chicken in coop
10sqft per chicken in run.

Thank you. This will help me make the brooder!

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Thank you. This will help me make the brooder!

No problem friend. Enjoy your birds.

 

[aart]

Space for brooder depends on how long they will be in there.
Best to get them into coop as soon as you can for more room...and to get the stink and dust out of the house.

The 4/10 rule of thumb is a minimum...
....go with more coop and run space, you'll be glad you did.

250W might be too much heat in a small space and in the house.
Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:
They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
-If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
-If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
-If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. If you do use a heat bulb make sure it's specifically for poultry, some heat bulbs for food have teflon coatings that can kill birds. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.

Or you could go with a heat plate, commercially made or DIY: http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate


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[Amatsuhono]

I'd also caution you against using a plastic storage container as a brooder. A lot of plastic, when heated, will give off fumes, that while pretty much harmless to you and larger animals, it can be deadly for chicks. This is not a hard or fast rule for all plastics (a lot of pre-fabbed brooders use plastic wall panels that are fine), but it's better to err on the side of caution, then gamble with your chicks, especially since cardboard or wood is an equally economical alternative.