Brooder Size Question

[Reinbeau]

This was buried in my other thread. Let me ask a different question - how big of a brooder should my DH build to accommodate 15 chicks from when they come home here til they can go outside in mid-June or so? (I'm thinking it'll be mid-June when it's warm enough for them to go into their palatial accommodations we're busy building them, a 10x10' coop)? I'm getting them May 7.

 

[SeaChick]

If it helps, we had ours last year in a cardboard watermelon box (about 3 x 4 feet??) and with 6 chicks it got crowded by 7 weeks.... there are rules of thumb in Storey's etc but they're really more for farm-type operations, I think, and IMHO too crowded. I'm interested to hear what others say.

To your benefit, you'll only need to keep them inside for a month or so, so they won't be all that enormous!

 

[wynedot55]

id build a 4ftw by 4ftl by 2fth brooder.that should hold them for 5 or 6 wks.gives ea chick 1ft sq ft of space.

 

[Penske]

I am new to this, but ours is a dog crate/cage outfitted with chicken wire and cardboard sides. It is 2'4" by 3'6" and about 3' tall. We'll have 16 chicks. I am thinking they'll be in it for 3 weeks, then move to the coop with heat. It is the best situation we would come up with for inside. I've seen others here do it, so I am hoping they'll be fine.

If anyone has comments, I'd love to hear them.

Lisa

 

[professor-yellow]

I built a 4x6 foot brroder on wheels to move around. PM me if you want to see pics. I dont know how to attach here.

 

[Reinbeau]

PM inbound!

 

[sbwhite0]

I have built a 3'x4' and it accomidates 10 very easily. So, a 4'x4' should do the trick for 16.

 

[Penske]

YIKES! Sounds like my space is too small...do you think it'll be ok for just two weeks??? Then I can move them to the brooder in the coop with lots of space.

Lisa

 

[eggonomist]

Wow, did I mess up, i have a 2ft w x 4ft l x2ft h brooder I'm just making, perfect for when I start hatching, but possibly a bit small for my initial 20 I'm hoping to order this month, I'm off to go and work on that hen house QUICKLY.

 

[Penske]

Well, at least I'm not alone!!

I am happy to have all this good information though. Like I said, I am hoping they'll be OK for two weeks, then the weather will warm up here and I can heat the coop. At least the coop is done.

Good luck, eggonomist!!

Lisa