Advice on brooder size/options vs. chick age

[PrettyCoolChicks]

Hi folks,

I have 7 white leghorn (+ unknown roo breed) chicks due next week. This will be the first time I raise chicks myself. I read I shouldn't give them too much space so they can find the heat source easily, but also not too little, so they don't get crowded. I have:

1) an open top cardboard box at first (about 1ft * 2ft), in my home office
2) a brooder box (2ft * 4ft, 2ft tall), which can be divided into 1/3 - 2/3 spaces, in my living room
3) the coop (about 15ft * 5ft) (unfinished)

Is any of the above absolutely too small/too big for brooding chicks? How long could they stay in each of the above? I was thinking a couple of days in the box, maybe 4 weeks in the brooder and then into the coop starting week 5 (which would give me a month to finish building the coop and put up the electric fence around the run). Does that make sense? Could they stay in the box any longer than that? Any other recommendations? Should I move the brooder box into the coop or would the chicks be fine with the new environment as long as I show them where the water/food and heat plate are?

Also, I suspect I'll regret putting the brooder box in my living room... but I can't finish the coop in time and the garage isn't predator proof. Besides, I kind of want to hang out with my first batch as much as I can, which is easier if they're in the house. XD I'd love to hear tips from folk who have kept chicks in their house, what worked/helped keep it manageable/clean. Any mistakes I should definitely avoid?

 

[rosemarythyme]

The cardboard box is way too small right off the bat.

The "brooder box" should be ok up to about 2 weeks (others will say 4 weeks = 1 sq ft per, but by 2 weeks they'll be bouncing off the walls). Make sure it has a secure cover/top/lid, and good ventilation.

Just for reference my brooder is about 9 sq ft and I think that's a good size for 3-4 chicks, I do not divide the space. Chicks can handle finding heat and food just fine in that space:

I brood outdoors so my first recommendation is, not in the house. But since the coop isn't finished it can't be helped. Chicks are dander generators, so I wouldn't have the brooder anywhere near anything that can't be wiped clean. I brooded my first batch in a bathtub and found myself scrubbing greasy dander off the sink across from it and 6' up the wall, and that was only 3 chicks for 5 weeks.

Prioritize finishing the coop over the run. If the coop is properly ventilated so it doesn't get too hot inside, the chicks can easily stay in there a few weeks before the run is finished.

 

[PrettyCoolChicks]

Got it! No cardboard box then.

Wow! I didn't realise the dander would spread that far! I planned to put cardboard down around it but I should definitely move the brooder box into another room then. (One that doesn't have carpet on the floor... lol) Thanks for bringing this to my attention, I expect you saved me a lot of pain/grief with this one!

The brooder has a lid and wire cloth openings for ventilation at the top, so that should be fine.

I can probably finish the coop within the 2 weeks time frame and put the chicks in there if needed. My only concern really is whether a bear would try to break in there, if there's no electric fence around it.

mhhh... maybe I give them their own unfurnished bedroom and psychologically prepare to scrub it XD

Thanks, you've given me lots to think about!

 

[rosemarythyme]

A bathroom is probably the best option for the brooder while indoors, simply because it's made to be cleaned. Past that, maybe a laundry room? If you need to put it in a carpeted room I'd personally think about putting down a tarp or a lot of cut up cardboard first.

As far as bears, probably depends on how much of an issue bears are in your neck of the woods. My dogs treed a black bear about 30' from my chicken run however that was just happenstance, as it was likely following the spawning salmon.

 

[PrettyCoolChicks]

My bathroom is tiny, I don't think I could have the chicks in there, even though I agree it would be the easiest place to clean Laundry is in the garage so that feels unsafe.

We have both black bears and grizzly (and foxes, wolves, mink/marten, cougar, eagles...). We manage attractants as much as we can so that bears are not a problem, but several neighbours had their flocks eaten/killed a few years back, so predators are a known risk.

 

[Bananabread]

If you have left over plywood you could make a decent size brooder depending on how much you have. I placed mine in a spray painting tent in my garage (not bear country) which worked to contain some of the dust, which was tremendous. All sorts of options exist. I lined the edges with cardboard and then put a thick layer of hemp bedding down. I kept them in this for 3-4 weeks. The weather wasn't warm enough for them to be outside yet. While it worked, in the future I'll plan to get chicks only in the late spring or summer when they can go straight into the brooder after 2-3 weeks in the tuperware bins. I'm still dealing with dust all over my garage! And i say dust to pretend its not dander and chick poop particles

 

[PrettyCoolChicks]

Thanks for sharing! The spray painting tent is an awesome idea, I'll see if I can find one!
Is the smaller green netting on the pictures part of the spray painting tent? If not what did you use for that?

 

[Bananabread]

Sorry, meant to mention that as well, I found that on amazon. It's meant for outside for when they're chicks and if you take them to a field or something where they can stretch their wings a little. I found it was perfect for indoor too. I think the tent alone probably would have been fine but importantly, just know that starting around 2-3 weeks they'll start jumping up on the ledge and quickly flying around a little. The green net helped contain that. Not sure if this link will work but here was the name of it:

ANC POP Portable Chicken Run Large Pop-Up Chicken Pen for Small Animals Outdoor Gardening Net with 3 Doors and Handbag, Easy to Install and Storage, Green​

https://a.co/d/4gIhbSE

 

[PrettyCoolChicks]

Awesome, thanks for the details! Lots of good ideas to inspire me in what you've shared.

 

[PrettyCoolChicks]

Ok, so I ended up moving the brooder box into an unfinished bedroom. I put a tarp on the floorboards and covered everything (floor and part of wall) in textured cardboard (leftover wrapping from a sofa!).
Hopefully, I get all the materials for the coop and can finish it within the next 2 weeks, but worst case scenario, I can just open the brooder box and give the chicks "free-range" in the 12*12 room, which is empty other than storing chicken supplies now. I can't get a spray painting tent in time for this batch, but I'll probably try that for the next hatch!