Brooder question/concern

[Mp157]

Good morning all! I currently have six four week old chicks. For the last week or so I let them outside in a baby play pen so they can have some fun. However the weather has not been so great and they are literally cooped up in their brooder. Im
Concerned it’s too small for them (see attached pictures). I’m still finishing up their coop which ill probably need another two weeks-ish. I guess I’m just wondering if it’s okay to keep them in the brooder when they seem so cramped. Thanks for any advice!

 

[sourland]

That's really limited space. It is possible they will start pecking/injuring one another.

 

[sdm111]

Not really but I guess they're stuck now. It's better practice to have and not need than to need and not have.

 

[Rose Quartz]

2 weeks longer in this will be uncomfortable for them. I use these big bins the same way XD but i've switched to a 3x4 brooder when i need to keep them inside longer and that only lasts 10 birds up to 5 weeks comfortably, after that they like to escape into the livingroom for more space to explore.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you have some large cardboard boxes that could be taken apart and taped together to make a bigger area, or a dog play pen, or even a kiddie pool with some chicken wire fencing? Your brooder looks extremely tight on space, so if at all possible it'd be best if you could move them into a larger area even if it's only going to be temporary.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you?

Climate matters so we don't know if "not so great" weather means 50F and raining like it does for me or 15F and snowing.

If the former, the chicks are well-feathered and can be taken off heat and put in their coop with a little acclimation so your best solution is to rush the coop to completion as much as possible.

Do you have a secure run prepared? You might do something like this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/mini-coop-or-integration-pen-from-a-large-dog-crate.76593/ I had 4-week-olds living in that with night temps of 40F and no heat last spring.

 

[Mp157]

Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you?

Climate matters so we don't know if "not so great" weather means 50F and raining like it does for me or 15F and snowing.

If the former, the chicks are well-feathered and can be taken off heat and put in their coop with a little acclimation so your best solution is to rush the coop to completion as much as possible.

Do you have a secure run prepared? You might do something like this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/mini-coop-or-integration-pen-from-a-large-dog-crate.76593/ I had 4-week-olds living in that with night temps of 40F and no heat last spring.

Good point. About 50 and damp/rainy Unseasonably cold but temps should be bouncing up this week. I did move them to a temporary area in the garage much larger for the time being and brought them in overnight due to the weather overnight. However this evening they will stay out in their new temporary area.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I guess I’m just wondering if it’s okay to keep them in the brooder when they seem so cramped.

They are OK until they are not. They are going to grow a lot more in the next two weeks. The worst risk is that they can become brutal with each other, the tighter they are the more likely something like that is to happen. I think your risk level is going to be fairly high.

However the weather has not been so great

I'll also ask what does this mean. One time our dog was laying on the front yard in the bright sunshine but with frost still on the ground as it was below freezing. She said that dog must be miserable. That dog was where she wanted to be, she had plenty of other much warmer options if she wanted them. What that actually meant was that my wife would be miserable if she were the one laying out there, it had nothing to do with the dog. So what conditions are you talking about?

You are not the first person caught in this trap. Some of us recommend you finish your coop before you get the chicks, life has a way of messing up our schedules but it's too late for you to manage that. I'm mentioning this for other people's benefit so they may be able to learn.

What other options do you have? Can you keep them somewhere with more room during the day and move them back to a dark brooder at night? If it is too dark for them to see they are not going to hurt each other at night. Where is the brooder? Setting something up in an outbuilding or garage may be a fairly easy solution. Can you make another brooder so you can split them between the two to reduce crowding? I don't like this because you may run into integration issues but it might get you through a crisis.

I see you posted while I was typing. Sounds like you have a solution. I'll post this any.

 

[Iluveggers]

If they were out in the playpen, can you set that up for them indoors?

 

[3KillerBs]

Good point. About 50 and damp/rainy Unseasonably cold but temps should be bouncing up this week. I did move them to a temporary area in the garage much larger for the time being and brought them in overnight due to the weather overnight. However this evening they will stay out in their new temporary area.

That's not cold to a well-feathered chicken.

If they're dry and out of the wind they'll will be fine at those temperatures as soon as you can get the coop ready for them.