brooder is getting too small

[jackiedon]

My brooder is getting to small as my babies are growing. I had orginally ordered 14 from MPC. Then son in law had some fun blood Sumatrias so I took 3 of those. Then when I was at the chicken farmers house I bought 2 Cuckoo Marans. They will be 2 weeks old this week. My Sumatrias are roosting on the sticks I have in the brooder and my silkies are being pooped on.

Then I have a brooder beside that one with 2 week old guineas.

Last week I changed the bulb on my baby chicks from 100 w to 75 w and I have a 60 w I'm going to change this week.

When will they not need a light?

I have eggs hatching probably next weekend. Of course some of those will be going to my neighbors. I hope I have a good hatch from my silkies.

jackie

 

[silkiechicken]

I usually take the light away on my birds at about 6 weeks when they are fully feathered. For the last two weeks, I use a fluorecent light and start shutting it off at night. I usualy kick them to an outside brooder at 2 weeks or so and into their hutch run at 6 weeks where they don't need heat and light though. They basically don't need light anymore once they don't need that extra heat. They will make a rucus though the first nights they are without lights.

 

[jackiedon]

Thanks Silkie,

I did move my silkies into another brooder because the other chicks just seem to pick on them.

jackie