Brooder questions....

[daisy_dukers]

Stats
25 ISA Browns.....Day olds coming June 2nd.

I am probably only going to keep them indoors the first week, and then the brooder will go out to the soon to be built coop. Smell is an issue, plus my wife has a bird phobia(which she will hopefully get over).

1. How big of a brooder should I make? will a 4x4 brooder work for the first few weeks?

2a. I have seen designs where the floor was made of fine hardware cloth so the poop dropped though, is this safe for the chicks feet?

2b. Or Is it ok to put them on wood pellets right away, or should I stick with newspaper the first week, then transition them over..

3. How soon can I give them leafy greens (swiss chard, lettus, etc.) I grow veggies indoors(under two 400W HID's) so I always have tonnes of extra that we dont eat.

So many questions....

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

1- 4x4 brooder will be big enough for the first few weeks.
2- After the first week I put mine on wire but I put a thin piece of wood ofe about half of it so they can get on the wood to block the air coming up from the bottom.
2b- I put mine on paper towels for the first 2 or 3 days then add shavings.
3- Im not positive but I would say after the first week would be ok.