3 week old chicks too big for brooder?

[Jen71]

First of all - Thank you so much for all the wonderful advice, ideas, and support here in this forum. I've spent hours reading & I love it! I am so glad I found this place!

My question is this:
I am a first timer (obviously). We have four chicks (3 weeks old) and they seem so cramped in their little brooder. We are using a large glass fishtank with a heat lamp.
We're supposed to keep them inside with us for 6 weeks. They are going to be HUGE by then.

Each morning, I have been bringing them out of the tank and letting them play & flap around inside a playpen type thing in our living room. Then they go back in the tank at bedtime.

Is this sufficient? Any other suggestions?
What do other people do in this "in between" stage?

Thanks! Jen

 

[slackwater]

LOL - be glad that you only have 4 chicks. I got in over my head with nearly 50 - and a brooder that was much too small once they were 3+ weeks. This required some frantic building on my part

It sounds like you've got an okay setup. How big is the tank? Are they only in it to sleep? Are they warm & comfy during the day, in the playpen? WHy don't you leave them in the playpen at night?

Anyway...as long as they're not ACTING crowded, you can probably last it out for a little while longer.

 

[Morgan7782]

I am fairly new, but I can tell you personal experience. We would let out chicks outside, maybe in a dog crate with the tray taken out so they can peck at the ground, but they are protected from hawks and such. Plus, it was fun to watch them explore the world, safely Also, the two hens I had made their own coop, and it seemed cramped to me, but they appearently liked the coziness of it. Unless they are laying on one another, take them out for some fresh air and run around, and I think it would be fine. Again though, this is personal experience, by no means expert hehe

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

Mine go out at 2 weeks old to a 'growing pen'! Its a recycled rabbit hutch. then as they get a little bigger I allow them to go into the attached 4'x8' covered run. I leave a heat light (or 2) in there and then take it away at 6 weeks. They dont need to stay in for 6 weeks, just need supplemental heating for that long until they are fully feathered! I would go insane with 6 week olds IN my house!!! bleeehhh!!! or achoooo!!!

 

[chickpip]

We use a fish tank or storage bin then we move them to a metal dog crate with cardboard pieces zip tied around so they don't get caught etc. GOOD LUCK

 

[bantybev]

At three weeks mine got too big for their brooder also. I went to the local appliance store in town and asked for a refridgerator box, thinking I would turn it on it's side and cut the top out, as I had read other people have done. They didn't have any refer boxes, but had several washing machine boxes. I took one home and cut it in half lengthwise. They had already removed the top of the box. I slid one 1/2 of the box into the other at the cut off end and ended up with an 2 1/2' X 6' cardboard brooder, that can be adjusted to as large as 8' long. I found a couple old house window screen for the top. I put layers of newspaper on the bottom and used some duct tape to secure the two halves to each other. I covered the newspaper with 3 inches or so of wood shavings. I hooked up a 250 watt red heat lamp above the center of the whole thing.
My chicks are so happy now! They have so much room to run and scratch and chase each other around. I had room for extra water and food containers, a perch and a small tree branch for them to play on. I plan on adding a pan with sand for dust bathing tomorrow. This setup should last until they are ready for the coop. I can roll the top layer of newspapers with shavings up as needed and add more shavings. Cheap (actually free

) and simple, but it works.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

My brooder is already a little cramped for my 5 chicks, at 4 weeks. I make sure to clean often, and let them out in my yard for 2 hours a day. They seem perfectly fine, and they eat, drink and sleep as soon as they get back in their brooder after play time. Works fine for me!

 

[goldnchocolate]

Quote:
I think we must be twins separated at birth

!!! I did the same exact thing with my chicks only I got my boxes at the local recycling center. There is a lot that you can do with cardboard, duct tape and zip-ties

My 12 chicks were two weeks old when they grew out of their first brooder:

So I made them a nice big one out of cardboard:

I decided that they needed a window so I cut one out and covered it with hardware cloth. When they grew out of this brooder I added another whole section until they were big enough to go out to their other coop:

 

[bantybev]

Quote:
I think we must be twins separated at birth

!!! I did the same exact thing with my chicks only I got my boxes at the local recycling center. There is a lot that you can do with cardboard, duct tape and zip-ties

My 12 chicks were two weeks old when they grew out of their first brooder:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/10146_june-oct_2008_004.jpg

So I made them a nice big one out of cardboard:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/10146_june-oct_2008_038.jpg

I decided that they needed a window so I cut one out and covered it with hardware cloth. When they grew out of this brooder I added another whole section until they were big enough to go out to their other coop:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/10146_chicks--in_kitchen.jpg

LOL...ya never know!! Yours looks almost just like mine. I like the "window". Might have to add one of those. As a matter of fact....your starter brooder looks almost identical to mine too

Isn't it wonderful to see them so happy with all the space to play?

 

[nanawendy]

Yes our 8 grew out of theirs @2.5 weeks. We made a large brooder 27"x48"x32". Totally love it. It's so nice to see them have room to run about and flap their wings. AND... that made room for more babies, 9 to be exact!!!