Brooder Overload

[The Red Rooster]

I am currently using a 60 gallon fish tank as a brooder. I got 16 little peepers who have gotten bigger. The brooder is now overloaded with babies. I clean the brooder out, and ten minutes later it looks the same... poopy and nasty.

When can the chicks be outside? We've been getting some nice 70 degree weather lately. Can they be outside all day and be put in the brooder at night?

Here is a picture of the wyandotte to give you an idea how old they are (I lost track).

 

[Judy]

Personally, I would move them into the coop now, and give them a nice fluffy pile of hay to cuddle into at night. If they are still under a heat lamp or other heat source, I'd check on them during the night, as that's a pretty sudden change. But i would not keep them in the brooder at all, even if I had to run an extension cord to the coop for a few nights. (I'll bet they won't need it.)

 

[The Red Rooster]

Personally, I would move them into the coop now, and give them a nice fluffy pile of hay to cuddle into at night. If they are still under a heat lamp or other heat source, I'd check on them during the night, as that's a pretty sudden change. But i would not keep them in the brooder at all, even if I had to run an extension cord to the coop for a few nights. (I'll bet they won't need it.)

Thank you Flockwatcher.

The weather just turned nasty. It's pretty cold and windy. I think I'll have to keep them inside until it clears up (sigh).

I'm slowly "weaning" them off of the heat lamp. I'll keep moving it up until they don't need it anymore.

Thanks again!

~AnnElise