Area Per Chick In The Brooder?

[TheYLWFlock]

Hey just wondering what is the usual amount of space per chick. I read a book that said 6 square inches but that didn’t seem right... mine have about 1 square foot each. Is this not enough? They are still small and will probably be upgraded once they are bigger. Input appreciated!

 

[lazy gardener]

They should (IMO) have 2 s.f./bird after 2 - 3 weeks of age. While they can be crowded more, the extra space is certainly appreciated by them, makes the brooder less messy, and helps to eliminate stress behaviors and illness.

 

[ChickenLittle2+2]

diy cheap brooder-Mine are now between 4-6 weeks old. I believe they were aged wrong when I bought them. They got big, feathered, and flighty within our first week together supposedly 2nd week. Anyway, went to Lowe’s bought 2 large packing boxes. Cut tops off and opened up one side in each box. Put together and ended up with hexagon of sorts but could’ve made a long rectangle. I used the cut off tops to patch in bottom w duct tape. Opened large trash bag and cut to fit for waterproofing. Duct taped. Had a large brown craft paper roll, and traced bottom of box, cut several liners, and taped about 3 inside one on top of the other taping one at a time, leaving an extra out if I needed to trace again.

Moved from this plastic container to giant cardboard mansion! LoL




I also numbered the sides due to the funky shape. It has been great to peel off a liner and throw in garbage bag. They totally enjoy the extra roominess. We put two old window screens over the top to discourage flying out. Also kept in laundry room with heat lamp attached to cabinet and turned toward box for a few days. They’ve been without heat for a week now. It’s sturdy enough to keep on my back porch or if I need to, now that I am transitioning to the coop.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

They should (IMO) have 2 s.f./bird after 2 - 3 weeks of age. While they can be crowded more, the extra space is certainly appreciated by them, makes the brooder less messy, and helps to eliminate stress behaviors and illness.

X2

 

[TheYLWFlock]

Ok thanks! Mine are about 1 week old and don’t take up much space, but from what I’ve read, that’ll change pretty quickly!

They had their first outdoor time today, and absolutely LOVED it! Worms are a new favorite treat and keep away/chase the worm is a hit game as well! They loved exploring in their enclosed grassy pen and pecking flowers. It was a total blast and great fun with the warm weather, but they were happy to go into their brooder.

It’s about 6-7 square feet. I lined the bottom with a garage bag, then a bunch of tea towels, a layer of newspaper then paper towels and finally pine shavings. Everything in their brooder is basically home made. I did a really easy feeder and waterer out of empty yogurt containers and shallow Tupperware containers. Their heat source is homemade too.


Using a smaller cardboard box, staples, chicken wire, duct tape, 175 watt heat lamp and a 60 watt red heat bulb, I was able to construct a 100% safe “mother” kind of heat source (this is different than the heat pad one.) I took the box and cut the bottom out and also the top, so it’s basically a cardboard cube with no top or bottom. I then wrapped chicken wire over the top, made sure it was tight, and stapled it to the box. Then I added duct tape over the staple ends in the inside as well as duct tape all around the outside. On one wall, I cut out a little entry door so they can get in. After that, I threaded the cord from the lamp through another kayer if chicken wire. I positioned the lamp in the middle of the chicken wire top and then attacked the top layer of chicken wire to the existing one by weaving the ends together. The lamp is sandwiched in between the two wire layers and can’t move at all. Because of the low wattage of the bulb, it is a very low fire hazard, even more so than hanging it because it is EXTREMELY securely fastened in place.

I find that the babies will dart under the “mother” when they need to get warm, and then leave to go about their business of eating and drinking. They are spending just as much time out as they are under it, if not more time away from the heat. I think that placing a lamp and bulb over the whole thing isn’t as good because they are basically forced to be that temperature, and it might be to hot. Doing something like this or the heating pad mother, or using a radiant heating panel is a better choice.

Have a great day everyone, and happy chicken keeping!

Here is their brooder from above! They have quite a few toys, including a dust bath with some grit in it, a mirror, some fluffy snuggle balls and a perching bar!

Here is their feeder.

Waterer with elastics preventing them from completely falling in.

Here is their little “mother” with them sleeping under “her”!

So cute!

Here you can see how it is securely attached.

 

[lazy gardener]

Interesting set up. You might want to stick a thermometer in that box to check to see what temp it gets in there. You have basically created a mini Ohio Brooder! Good creativity.

My biggest concern with that set up is that around some time next week, they will start their flight plans. This will include flying up as high as possible, perhaps landing on the heat lamp hood, and they could get burned or toes caught in the chicken wire.

 

[TheYLWFlock]

Hi! Got a thermometer in there yes, it’s around 90 give or take a degree... yeah I suppose I have created a miniature replica of one of those larger brooders!

I do have some ideas for once they start flying. Making a sort of wall to prevent them from getting up there is one... I’ll be experimenting a bit! I totally get your concerns though, they aren’t something I want either and I’ll make sure they won’t be able to get up there!

All the best from me and my chickies! (Sorry, I can’t even help but post pictures of them!)

 

[ChickenLittle2+2]

How neat! I also like the mirror! Those babies are so cute! Mine were definitely not as fuzzy when I bought them. I wish they would stay like that a little bit longer! They are still fun at each stage and it's fun to figure out whose who in the pecking order. I have two each of B Rock and RI Red. It's hard to tell them apart except for a tiny diff in size. Tonight is their first night in the coop.

 

[TheYLWFlock]

Thanks! You wouldn’t believe how much time they spend looking/pecking at their reflections! It’s too funny! They are really fluffy and adorable... but they will still be cute when they are bigger! Good luck with them in the coop!

Hey @lazy gardener, I might need to install way to prevent them from getting on top, like, RIGHT AWAY!!! Look at the sneaky rascal I found just now! Only 8 days old and can fly that high... yikes, this little ones next plan might be flying right out of the brooder! Naughty, naughty!!!

 

[lazy gardener]

Once those flight feathers come in, the general rule of thumb is that they can fly 1 ft. high for each week of age. 1 week = 1' high. 2 week = 2' high and so on. They will also use a vertical wall of chicken wire to scramble/climb up. So, yeah! Perhaps put a vertical wall all the way to the top to close off the heat lamp all the way to the top, then put a chicken wire lid over the entire brooder.