Brooder setup

[ZiaEggcelente]

This is my first flock. They are about 3 weeks old. They are currently in my bathroom in a 47 gallon water trough with a lamp on now intermittently to keep them about 80F.

I have a temporary setup - 4x4 7ft tall kennel inside the yard where we currently live. I’ve secured with poultry netting (with more plans to do some further overhaul on security measures) and am eager to get these fluff/dust balls out of the house (at least during the day).
Im in southeast New Mexico, and while we did just get a cold front, it looks like temps will be mid to high 70s this week. I’m brainstorming a wooden box idea- just while I get their coop built - where they could have shelter during the day and come back to the inside brooder at night.

Since this is my first flock, I’m starting from scratch to put all the pieces together (operation - build an 8x8 coop before these velociraptors feather out) I’ve been wanting chickens and was a little preemptive by going about things before having all the facilities in place but… with that said .. I’m so excited!

If anyone has suggestions for a daytime “kindergarten” outdoor brooder setup that has worked prior to graduation to full on coop life I’m all ears.
I have about 3 sheets of plywood that I could fabricate something.. I do have power nearby I could run supplemental heat if needed.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Your temperatures are quite warm, so if you drop temperatures quicker in the brooder they should be fine most of the day outside without supplemental heat by the time you have the outside enclosure ready.

I assume your kennel is already secured to prevent chicks from simply walking out (photos would help if you're not sure)? Obviously netting is not predator proof as fencing but it at least needs to be secure enough to keep the chicks in. If the kennel is secure enough, the plywood could simply be cobbled together to make a 3 sided enclosure placed to shelter them from any oncoming winds (or really, you could use something as simple as a cardboard box, weighed down with some bricks). Beauty of the cardboard box is it lets you prioritize finishing the coop!

 

[ZiaEggcelente]

Thank you! I’ll attach a picture tomorrow of the little run I like your idea of 3sided box. So do I basically start tapering off the brooder heat to get them acclimated to 70s?

 

[TRALALARA1]

When you move them outdoors PLEASE make sure that you reinforce the pen with hardware cloth. I put my chicks out at a few weeks old out into a chain link fence pen reinforced with chicken wire. Sadly, something with small paws was able to reach in and grab a totally naive chick close enough to the fencing, pulled it far enough that it could eat its head off. Couldn’t get the body through but I felt really guilty for thinking chicken wire would protect them. Use hardware cloth at least two feet up all around the perimeter. As they get older they will become more wary and careful.

 

[ZiaEggcelente]

When you move them outdoors PLEASE make sure that you reinforce the pen with hardware cloth. I put my chicks out at a few weeks old out into a chain link fence pen reinforced with chicken wire. Sadly, something with small paws was able to reach in and grab a totally naive chick close enough to the fencing, pulled it far enough that it could eat its head off. Couldn’t get the body through but I felt really guilty for thinking chicken wire would protect them. Use hardware cloth at least two feet up all around the perimeter. As they get older they will become more wary and careful.

Great advice thank you. I’ll add hardware cloth along with a perimeter. There are small pawed creatures around the yard

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you! I’ll attach a picture tomorrow of the little run I like your idea of 3sided box. So do I basically start tapering off the brooder heat to get them acclimated to 70s?

Yup. Won't take long since they're only about 10 degrees off, so like dropping temps for 3 days to 75 should be plenty to easily transition them out afterwards, with little to no temperature stress.