I'm getting 25 chicks in 2 weeks, and am trying to figure out what to do for a brooder. How much space will they need, and can they all go in together, or should I separate the layers from the faster growing cornish x? I was thinking of using a childrens pool, but a friend of mine said he didn't think that would keep the heat in well enough. I do have a dog crate that is the giant one(we have a great dane), how many chicks could I put into that?
I used a large narrow box 2 feet by 8 feet in my spare bathroom. I hung one of those heat lamps off the light fixture until I got the right temp. I also clipped it on the shower stall. I didn't put the heat too close cause it will burn the chicks. Once they are 3 weeks old I just put in two bags of pine bedding on the floor and let em loose. They are funny little buggers. Not sure about a swimming pool. I would suppose it would depend on how drafty your barn, home, or coop is. Like anything else I would suppose they would get pneumonia if it were too drafty. I am not an expert but it worked twice for me. A couple more weeks and they will go out with the hens and I will see how that goes. Good luck.
Here's a pic of my swimming pool brooder. It worked fine for 21 chicks for a couple of weeks; until the little boogers figured out how to fly up and roost on the draft guard rails: My first instinct would be to seperate the cornish Xs, but I've never raised them. Others who have might chime in on that. P.S. The draft guard is made of pieces of PVC we had laying around wrapped in heavy duty plastic.
I have heard that the first two weeks it is fine to have your layers and meaties mixed. You should seperate after that. The meaties grow fast and may hurt your slow growing layers. As they get older the layers will pick on the meaties because they like to lay around and get in the way of the more active layers.
