Brooder box size

[FunClucks]

Hi! I'm a pretty new chicken mama myself! Welcome to BYC!!!

Last year I got layers in two batches and this year I got 25 cornish cross meat chickens. I'll share what worked for me, and that might help.

I brooded two sets of egger chicks (9 and 10 chicks at a time) in a 45 gallon rubbermaid tub. By 3 weeks they had out grown it. I moved them to a watermelon box (the large cardboard boxes that walmart and similar stores use to sell watermelon and pumpkins) at 3-4 weeks. (I put cardboard over the watermelon box side holes and put two additional layers of cardboard in the bottom, and set it out in the garage on a tarp.) Used medium pine shavings for bedding for both tote and watermelon box. Used 1-2 inches in the 45 gallon, changed it every 2 or at most 3 days. Watermelon box, I used 4", shavings and changed it once a week. Water leakage can be an issue from waterers, but by 4 weeks I had the chicks on horizontal nipple drinkers, which pretty much ended the water leaks.

They grew in the watermelon box until 6 weeks, and I put them outside in my covered open-air coop/run as soon as they had enough feathering. They were a bit cramped in the watermelon box by the end of it.

From what I can tell, the watermelon box is about 1.5 the floor space of one XL dog crate (link below)

Eggers Tote:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/sterilite-45-gallon-wheeled-latch-tote-stadium-blue-case-of-4/420268689

XL Dog Crate:
https://www.ruralking.com/catalog/product/view/id/137471

For CX, used 1-2 inches medium pine shavings, changed it every night, fluffed it in the morning to mix in the poo/aerate the litter and at noon if I was home. So far, I've only had the CS for 3 days but they make 3x the amount of poo and 3x the amount of water in their poo compared to the eggers, and grow 3x as fast. I had no idea I'd have to change their poo every day, and there is water/moisture sitting in the bottom of the plastic tote when I do. I can see switching over to morning and night full cleanouts very fast, and they'll probably outgrow the 160 quart by the end of this week. I plan to split them into two XL dog crates at that time (lined with cardboard, maybe housewrap/feed bags), and hope to get another week or two before putting them out in my enclosed 10'x30' covered open-air coop/run on grass/wood chips.

Cornish X Tote:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/HART-160...ge-Bin-Clear-Base-Blue-Lid-Set-of-3/668354072

Things to note:

I really love brooding in the plastic totes because I can lift them and dump them into a large outdoor trash can, and save the littler for composting. They are easy to wipe out and sanitize, and wash with soap and water in the front yard.

I brood in my garage. I use meat thermometers to check every area that gets heat from the heat lamp to make sure the heat lamps are the right height from the chicks (right temperature) and the plastic isn't overheated. Also the chicks get used to the cold weather outside by having the area not under the lamp be cold similar to what's going on outside but somewhat warmer. Chicks make an insane amount of dander. I brooded my first batch of eggers inside for two weeks - never again!!! My entire half house was coated with chick dander and it gave us respiratory issues.

I put 1/2" hardware cloth lids on my brooders, with 1"x2" strips of wood zip tied lengthwise at the edges to provide handles and keep the mesh in place well. I put firewood on the lids sometimes to provide weight and security when I'm worried about predators, and use aluminum foil to cover anything I think might get hot - it wicks the heat away and protects the surface underneath from heating. These lids protect from predators (mice, birds, cats, dogs), and make sure that if the heat lamp does happen to fall (not even possible the way I've got it hung, but anyway), it will fall onto the lid and not the chicks. Setting on the lid will not be an issue (I've tested it).

Hope this helps! Good luck, and have fun in your chicken journey!!!

Quick update - By day 3 after receipt the 160 Quart tote was inadequate for 25 CX chickens. I've got them in the XL dog crate as of Day 3, and will probably split them into two dog crates in the next few days. 2-3" of litter, I fluff it in the morning, and will probably change it out each night. If you're raising any other breed of meat birds, they will probably not outgrow their enclosure so quickly, but CX does everything times three. I also needed the width of the dog crate to have enough space for the gallon waterer and the 10 lb (non) hanging feeder. They empty the gallon waterer in about 12 hours at Day 3.

 

[LovingMyChicks]

Thank you! Good to know!

 

[LovingMyChicks]

So, I've watched so many raising chick videos I am dreaming of them in my sleep. I'm considering put a tent cover (cotton sheet) over the brooder (not laying it directly on the brooder) to help keep dust down and using an air purifier to assist in the dust control efforts.

I've heard puppy pads work well for the first few days, so I bought disposable pads. Yes, I will have to change them out 2x a day - I'm sure.

 

[DobieLover]

So, I've watched so many raising chick videos I am dreaming of them in my sleep. I'm considering put a tent cover (cotton sheet) over the brooder (not laying it directly on the brooder) to help keep dust down and using an air purifier to assist in the dust control efforts.

I've heard puppy pads work well for the first few days, so I bought disposable pads. Yes, I will have to change them out 2x a day - I'm sure.

The best place to brood them is outside using a brooder plate, preferably in the coop/run in which they will ultimately live.
With the huge number of chicks you are getting, trying to keep the dust and smell down indoors is a fruitless endeavor.

 

[NatJ]

I am a new chicken mamma. Picking up my chickens in Feb. A total of 130...

The big coop which we will transfer them into when they are ready... is 12' x 20' shed which we will cut in half and build two runs 24' x 24'.

We put 3 XL brooder plates (covers up to 50 chicks ea.) An infrared heater, and we have heat lamps as a stand by, and agreed to let me put them in our house for at least a few weeks to give them the best start.

I would brood the chicks directly in the coop from the first day, never in the house. Use any combination of heat plates, infrared heater, and heat lamps to get the right temperature.

Brooding 130 chicks as a single batch can be done, but they will probably be easier to manage if you divide them into two or three groups. Maybe layers in one side of your shed, meat birds in the other.

But I think you need more total space.

You have a 12x20 building. That is 240 square feet. If you put in 130 chickens, they have less than 2 square feet each. So before they reach 8 weeks, they will be too crowded in that space.

And you are planning to use only half of that space, which means less than one square foot per chick. They will outgrow that space in the first few weeks, before they are old enough to spend time outside in the run, and well before the meat birds are ready to butcher.

Picking up my chickens in Feb....
the other side will be used for turkeys...coming in April.

I think you should plan to put the meat chicks in the "turkey" area, and butcher them before the turkeys arrive. You will still be short of space for that many chickens, but at least it won't be quite as bad.

 

[LovingMyChicks]

I would brood the chicks directly in the coop from the first day, never in the house. Use any combination of heat plates, infrared heater, and heat lamps to get the right temperature.

Brooding 130 chicks as a single batch can be done, but they will probably be easier to manage if you divide them into two or three groups. Maybe layers in one side of your shed, meat birds in the other.

But I think you need more total space.

You have a 12x20 building. That is 240 square feet. If you put in 130 chickens, they have less than 2 square feet each. So before they reach 8 weeks, they will be too crowded in that space.

And you are planning to use only half of that space, which means less than one square foot per chick. They will outgrow that space in the first few weeks, before they are old enough to spend time outside in the run, and well before the meat birds are ready to butcher.



I think you should plan to put the meat chicks in the "turkey" area, and butcher them before the turkeys arrive. You will still be short of space for that many chickens, but at least it won't be quite as bad.

I agree. The meat birds on 1/2 of the shed - the layers on the other half. The CC's should be ready for butchering by the time the turkeys get here. But, Hubby is already working on a plan, in case the CC's are not quite ready for butchering.

The pen plans can be altered to be larger.

We will just add another shed or two...and make 2 runs on each side of those as well.
Then there will eventually just be 24 in each 1/2 and 5 turkeys in one pen.

I'm flexible like that.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Hi, and welcome to BYC! We're so glad you decided to join us! Make yourself at home!

 

[Kenneth Zweerink]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens. And a Big Hello from Eastern Nebraska!

 

[Tookie]

Hello, welcome to BYC!

 

[Lovely Lettie]

Welcome to our awesome community!
Nice to meet you