2.5 sq ft per chick? Really? At what age?

[PearlGrey]

So I read some of the stickies on raising baby chicks. Right now, I have a dozen [4 RIR, 4 Barred Rocks, 4 BSL] who are maybe a week old. They're in a rabbit cage that measures about 36" x 17", so a little over 6 sq ft. They have plenty of room right now, but how quickly do they grow?

Their coop will be 9' x 9', so 81 sq ft. I understand grown chickens need about 4.5 sq ft/bird, so if all 12 make it to adulthood I have plenty of room to spare. Which is good, since I promised to take my brother's cockerels from his straight run (he lives in a city that allows hens but not roosters).

What I'm wondering is how big their intermediate brooder needs to be? My younger border collie, Faith, has unselfishly agreed to give up her crate as a brooder - she will endure the hardship of lounging on the sofa all day instead - but it's about 10 sq ft. So I'll have 16 sq ft for 12 chicks until they're old enough to move into their coop. Do I need to make arrangements for more room? James Brittany says he'll give up his crate too, but his plumbing is still not all that reliable.

 

[Folly's place]

Mine move to the coop at about three weeks of age, now that the weather is finally spring-like. They have a heat lamp near one corner of the coop, and sleep near it. They wander around the coop and try out the lowest rung of the ladder roost during the day. Make sure to secure the heat lamp so no accidents! Mary

 

[debid]

Nobody can say with certainty exactly how much space they need. There are behaviors that are associated with crowded conditions that show earlier with some individuals than others. 2.5 is a "one size fits most" number; actual results may vary. I personally had ten in a brooder that was roughly 4'x20" until they feathered. This was not ideal and there was much squabbling but nothing serious as they passed the four week mark. I moved them into the coop as soon as it was ready and peace was restored. I wouldn't do that again even though it came out OK just because it was stressful worrying that things might escalate and they were so much happier in the coop. Now I use a coop from the day they come home that has a run attached and the chicks seem much happier having room to roam and flap and get all crazy.

 

[3riverschick]

So I read some of the stickies on raising baby chicks. Right now, I have a dozen [4 RIR, 4 Barred Rocks, 4 BSL] who are maybe a week old. They're in a rabbit cage that measures about 36" x 17", so a little over 6 sq ft. They have plenty of room right now, but how quickly do they grow?

Their coop will be 9' x 9', so 81 sq ft. I understand grown chickens need about 4.5 sq ft/bird, so if all 12 make it to adulthood I have plenty of room to spare. Which is good, since I promised to take my brother's cockerels from his straight run (he lives in a city that allows hens but not roosters).

What I'm wondering is how big their intermediate brooder needs to be? My younger border collie, Faith, has unselfishly agreed to give up her crate as a brooder - she will endure the hardship of lounging on the sofa all day instead - but it's about 10 sq ft. So I'll have 16 sq ft for 12 chicks until they're old enough to move into their coop. Do I need to make arrangements for more room? James Brittany says he'll give up his crate too, but his plumbing is still not all that reliable.

16 sq. ft. for 12 chicks should be more than enough if you move them out to the big coop at 4-5 weeks old. I to 1.5 sq. ft. per chick should be fine in that grow out brooder. In the coop, as large fowl adults, they need 4 sq. ft. each ( so your coop can handle 20 adult large fowl if needed.). In the run, 10 sq. ft. each as adults. So sounds like you are are doing just right.
Best
Karen in western PA, USA.

 

[PearlGrey]

Thanks, y'all. My coop doesn't have electricity in it yet, and probably won't till this batch is all grown up. But I'm in SC, so our nights will be above 65F probably in another month. So sounds like I'll be OK with the dog crate till they can go outside without their light.