Brooder set up

[Ridgerunner]

I understand your frustration. You get so many different suggestions and recommendations. People will tell you this will work then somebody else says you are doomed if you do that. I feel for you.

Part of the problem is that we keep them in so many different conditions that different things work. We have different concerns. I brood out of doors so one of my major concerns is the temperature swings. How can I assure that they have a spot warm enough in the coldest temperatures and a spot cool enough in the warmest temperatures. You are brooding indoors so your concerns with heat is primarily to not have the entire brooder too warm.

Some people believe in magic numbers, no matter the different circumstances. You have to have a certain number of square feet per chick at a certain age no matter the circumstances. While I do believe room is important I'm not tied to any specific ratio or number. Even at a fairly young age cockerels need more room than pullets, on average. Some breeds are larger than others, even as chicks. Feeders and waterers take up a larger proportion of space in a small brooder as opposed to a larger brooder. Each chick occupies a certain square feet of their allocated space. That leaves the rest of their allocated space empty. The more chicks you have with the same allocation of square feet per chick the more free space they have. That means the allocated square feet per chick can be less in a larger brooder. Now a big one. Each chick has its own personality. Some can simply handle tight quarters better than other chicks.

I'll repeat myself. I think you have a good plan. Have a plan ready if they outgrow your brooder.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

I understand your frustration. You get so many different suggestions and recommendations. People will tell you this will work then somebody else says you are doomed if you do that. I feel for you.

Part of the problem is that we keep them in so many different conditions that different things work. We have different concerns. I brood out of doors so one of my major concerns is the temperature swings. How can I assure that they have a spot warm enough in the coldest temperatures and a spot cool enough in the warmest temperatures. You are brooding indoors so your concerns with heat is primarily to not have the entire brooder too warm.

Some people believe in magic numbers, no matter the different circumstances. You have to have a certain number of square feet per chick at a certain age no matter the circumstances. While I do believe room is important I'm not tied to any specific ratio or number. Even at a fairly young age cockerels need more room than pullets, on average. Some breeds are larger than others, even as chicks. Feeders and waterers take up a larger proportion of space in a small brooder as opposed to a larger brooder. Each chick occupies a certain square feet of their allocated space. That leaves the rest of their allocated space empty. The more chicks you have with the same allocation of square feet per chick the more free space they have. That means the allocated square feet per chick can be less in a larger brooder. Now a big one. Each chick has its own personality. Some can simply handle tight quarters better than other chicks.

I'll repeat myself. I think you have a good plan. Have a plan ready if they outgrow your brooder.

thank you so much for this! I will plan to move them to my outdoor brooder sooner if they outgrow this one.

I have a larger order of hatching eggs coming in March so this small first batch will be my learning experience here.

I appreciate your experience and point of view, how do you integrate your chicks with your flock?

It will be cold here until April and my chicks will hatch in February so I won’t be able to do early integration, as a point of consideration.

 

[Ridgerunner]

how do you integrate your chicks with your flock?

You cannot integrate brooder chicks the way I use, not keeping them in the brooders the way you plan. A clear situation of our circumstances being different so different things work.

My brooder is in the coop. I put the chicks in there straight from the incubator or the post office whether the outside temperature is below freezing or in the heat of summer. The chicks are raised with the flock. Typically I open the brooder door after 5 weeks and walk away.

My chicks can generally handle the weather at 5 weeks, I'm in a different climate. If the weather is unusually risky I can wait a few days. My coop is 8' x 12', the chicks can find a safe place to sleep at night where the adults don't bother them. During the day they have over 2,000 square feet of space outside so they can avoid the adults. I'm retired so I am generally available during the day to check on them. It's not my first rodeo, you have a learning curve to go through. Don't underestimate the learning curve. You kind of need of see them grow to feel better about a lot of this.

I don't know enough about your specific situation to make specific recommendations. The generic suggestions are to house them across wire for a week or more so they get acquainted, give them as much room as you can, and have multiple feed and water stations so they can avoid competing with the adults for food and water. If the room is tight adding clutter can help. Clutter is stuff they can hide under, behind, or over to make it easier to avoid the adults.

Good luck!

 

[ChickyWhicky]

Apparently an unpopular opinion on this post BUT I think this set up is just fine for 1 week. The first few days they are just getting a feel for themselves and don't need much.
I have a similar size tote (maybe a smidge bigger) I use with a heat lamp for a week or so before they move to the big brooder and have never had issues. Good luck!