Brooder size needed for 20 baby chicks?

[Phoenixxx]

I use a 40 gallon breeder aquarium (36" x 18") and my biggest hatches are around 40-50 babies. When they outgrow that, they go into my critter nation cage (each floor is 2' x 3') or into one of the coops. I put my babies out as early as 2-3 weeks, and provide a heatlamp if they still need one at night; younger if I have a mom willing to adopt, lol. The longest I've ever waited was 4-5 weeks, but that was back when I had only one flock and one time introductions didn't go so well, so I had to remove the chicks for another week.

Yes, you should be able to put them with the hens. They will probably snuggle up to one of them, who then may decide to become their parent. If the broody is the cantankerous sort, she may not want them around; you won't know til you try

 

[paloozaparty]

What size brooder is best for 20 baby chicks (sex links, australorps, and easter eggers) to allow them enough room to grow and live in for about 6 weeks until they're ready to go outside permanently in the coop?
We live in Alabama, by the way, so would they be able to go outside into the coop (with or without a brooding setup) earlier than 6 weeks? The coop/run will be predator and draft/weather proof.

Also, what are y'alls thoughts on putting these 20 chicks (will be ordering them in September) with our 8 year old buff orpington hen who is always broody? Is that safe to do? Would we need to do anything special to the coop/run to baby chick proof it and/or make sure that they're getting their electrolyte water and chick starter? Our hen shares this space with her sister who is never broody.

2 large (not small, not medium--but, large) kiddie swimming pools stacked like a macaroon. You can google images or look on pinterest for this idea. We had 9 recently in a custom brooder from the chicken store, and it was WAY TOO SMALL--it's made out of a large, heavy-duty tote (black bottom, yellow top) with screens cut into the lid and the lid cut in half. The lid is the most valuable asset to this configuration, so you'd want to consider cutting a square out of the one kiddie pool bottom, secure a mesh screen (also, so that you can position a heat lamp, if you're using one) and then you could attach a hinge so that you can lift and lower the lid (which you'll also want to ad a secure lock feature)... I think this would give 20 chicks for 6 weeks the right amount of room.