Brooder requirments

[kywilber]

I am currently working on my brooder. Is there a rule of thumb for how much room for how many chicks?

 

[Happy Chooks]

I think it depends. Obviously as they grow (and they grow fast) they will need more space.

How long are you planning on keeping them in the brooder?
Do you have other chickens you will have to integrate these chicks with?


Mine will stay in the brooder until they are feathered and can't squeeze through my fence. Then they will be in a partitioned area of my run during the day so the others can get used to them being around.

 

[Ooopsy_daisy]

What I have been using for brooders is a rubbermaid water trought from TSC they are about $54 and are I believe 125 gallons. They are ez to clean as you only need a dust pan to get the shavings out. Then I used a broom handle and tied the heat lamp to it and put it across the top of the trought. Works perfectly.

Also if you want to cover the top to make it warmer say if you have it in a garage or barn, then just use PVC board and cover 2/3rds and its real toasty. DO NOT cover the top completely as you will get too much moisture and not enough air flow and will kill the chicks. I did 100 ISA browns in 4 of them and they had enough room until almost 4 weeks of age and were completely feathered. Now they are in their own stall/coop in my grainery building and doing just fine. I still provide them with a heat lamp but only because Michigan weather is so extreme at this time of year.

Good luck with your project.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

I just wanted to add to the other comments. If you put the brooder outside, put it in a place free from drafts. I also provide warm water instead of cold. It seems to keep them more comfortable on cold nights. You will know it if they get to cold, they will be peeping very loudly. I put my 4wk. olds in the outside brooder last week and they are doing fine with the 35 to 40 degree nights. I also put an extra heat lamp just in case one goes out during the night.

Marty

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I favor a half a square foot per chick until they are about four weeks old then one square foot per bird until they are old enough to move out around eight to ten weeks (depends on the weather).

This is my brooder box.

The box is 4x6ft with 2ft high walls, one side of which is hinged for easy access and a hardware cloth cover over the top to keep predators out. It sits in the open bay of my workshop. The brooder hover was developed by the Ohio extension back in the forties. I've brooded young chicks in it down to twenty degrees using two 250 watt heat lamps. As the weather warmed up I changed the bulbs to lower wattages. My daughter has some five week old Silkies in it right now with just a single 60 watt bulb lit and they are thriving.

So long as they stay dry, adequately warm, and protected from predators there are many ways to brood chicks.

.....Alan.

 

[kywilber]

As it is getting last minute. I went to tsc and broke the bank.. Bought a 110 gal Oval and roughly 2ft wide 4ft long and 2ft tall. And the sides go stright down not like the normal ones. that will give me the time i need to build something proper and i will have a good water tank for later use, not sure what i will use it for but i am sure i will use it.. (starting with 25 chicks)