Brooder size question and ideas wanted

sagehound

Songster
Sep 21, 2017
84
150
137
Powell Butte, Oregon
Hi,
I am getting my first 16 chicks in June and was planning to have the brooder in my office in the house so I can keep an eye on them and get them used to me. Question....I have read that the brooder should provide 1 sq ft of space per chick until week 2-3 and then they should have 2-3 sq ft per chick. That would mean I wouldn't be able to keep them in the house. Does it really have to be that big? What are the pros/cons to have a double decker and separate the chicks into two bunches of 8 and then put them together in the coop when they are fully feathered? It should be fairly warm here (central Oregon) but the nights would be cold so I am not convinced that I could keep them warm enough in the garage.

Thoughts?? Ideas?? Help? :)

Thank you!!
 
We used a 4x4 dog enclosure with a tarp zip tied to it for the bottom. It was big enough until the chicks went outside to the coop a few weeks later.

A double decker would be ok if you can provide heat in both. Side by side may be better so they can socialize, would make integration easier I think.

In June I would think they'd be fine in the garage if you provide a source of heat.
 
it would be better if they grow up together then they would of all ready of shown where they are in the pecking order if you put some in one brooder and the others in another brooder then they will not know each other and you will have to interduce them when they go out side it will not have to be that big but they need room to move around good luck with your chicks :thumbsup
 
Just to give you some idea, my nine large fowl chicks are a little over three weeks now. They are in a brooder in my office that is 6 square ft. They have been absolutely fine but are now getting to the point that need more space. At this age I think you will be pleased to get them out the house because they are just so dusty!! I'm starting to move them into a large brooder ring in my shed (with their heat plate) that will give them 20 square feet. That will do them until they're 8 weeks of age. So those space requirements are only guides but I would't stray far from them. If you have bantams they will need less space. I've never hatched chicks this early in the year before but I'm acclimating them to the shed temperatures slowly by giving them time out there during the day and bringing them in overnight. Daytime temps are around 10 degrees C and at night are around freezing here at the moment. So far so good :thumbsup
 
Having them in separate brooders is fine, they don't really form a strict social order until they're older so there's no need to worry that they can't integrate easily while young.

You're probably going to regret having them in your office though. The smell from 16 chicks will be... something. Plus their dander seems to get onto everything and stick onto everything. At the very least keep them as far away from your electronics as you can!
 
Finish your coop and brood them in the coop with a heat plate, they will feather out faster and wean off heat on their own in 4-5 weeks. No dust in house

Good luck

Gary
Also still easy to socialize them like you seem to want to do. This is how I raise my birds and this is a message I just got from someone that just purchased three birds from last years brood:

"It was a blast! I spent an hour with them and they were in my lap. They devoured an apple with me :) I got them water and they make really cute noises when they drink. I used to be so scared of chickens, and now I'm so in love! These girls are so incredible!"

In many ways it is easier to interact with them in the larger area like the coop (assuming it's a walk in coop) because you can sit right down with them at their level vs gabbing to reach down into the small brooder from above
 
Having them in separate brooders is fine, they don't really form a strict social order until they're older so there's no need to worry that they can't integrate easily while young.

You're probably going to regret having them in your office though. The smell from 16 chicks will be... something. Plus their dander seems to get onto everything and stick onto everything. At the very least keep them as far away from your electronics as you can!
I guess I didn't think they would smell that bad? If I kept it clean? LOL...I now have my doubts!
 
Also still easy to socialize them like you seem to want to do. This is how I raise my birds and this is a message I just got from someone that just purchased three birds from last years brood:

"It was a blast! I spent an hour with them and they were in my lap. They devoured an apple with me :) I got them water and they make really cute noises when they drink. I used to be so scared of chickens, and now I'm so in love! These girls are so incredible!"

In many ways it is easier to interact with them in the larger area like the coop (assuming it's a walk in coop) because you can sit right down with them at their level vs gabbing to reach down into the small brooder from above
You make some good points. I am leaning towards a brooder for the first few weeks and then moving to the coop. :)
 

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