2 week old chicks - brooder question

[lisbogeyfarm]

Hi everyone. I got my first 6 chicks just over 2 weeks ago. I have had hens for years but never chicks so this is all new to me. I’ve had them inside in a box maybe 5ft by 2ft for the last two weeks with heat lamp etc but they are getting huge! I have a house ready for them outside but it wouldn’t be easy to get power and even if I did it wouldn’t be draft free and we are still having hard frosts some nights. Can anyone advise what to do with them at this stage? I know I can start taking them outside a bit but are they ok in the brooder they’re in for a while yet? Any ideas for something bigger that will fit inside? Any advice welcomed!

 

[Yardmom]

What type of chicks? Are you able to put a tunnel to another box. The heat only needs to be in one spot where they can go back to.

 

[MountainWoman73]

At 2 weeks they're probably fine in a space that size for a while longer. At 3-4 weeks I start putting mine outside during the day (sunny, temps in the 60s) and back inside at night, or if it's a cold day. That cuts down on the mess and dust in my house and gives them some space.

 

[Ridgerunner]

6 chick in a 2' x 5' brooder. I once kept 28 chicks in a 3' x 5' brooder for five weeks. Those were full sized fowl chicks, Sussex, Delaware and such and they were mostly female, I think that makes a difference. My next batch in that brooder until five weeks was 23 and mostly males. In both cases it was getting really crowded, I would not want to go any longer. That brooder was in my coop, for what that's worth. It had a wire mesh bottom so cleaning was really easy.

With only 6 chicks I think you are OK in a brooder that size for another three weeks at least. You are probably going to be OK until 6 weeks of age. By then they should be OK outside.

 

[lisbogeyfarm]

Thanks for the replies everyone, so sorry I am only replying now. I managed to find a chicken tractor construction thing on Facebook market place and my hubby cleared out a space in one of our sheds for it. Will be able to get a heat lamp in there ok to hang down at the top of the wire mesh end. It might not be warm enough for them yet but I’ll hang the lamp tomorrow and see what temp it gets. They’re trying to fly out of the box and to be honest I don’t like the smell or dust of having them inside.