Brooder size

[lereg]

Hello all! I plan on ordering 6, I mean 14 chicks in the next month. Please Lord, let the number of the chicks stay at 14. I need to make a brooder for them, but not sure what size to make it. The chicks will be dual purpose, so they will be larger for the most part. I prefer to keep them in the same brooder until I release them to the coop, once I build it. I know that you need 4 sq ft per chicken in the coop, but does that apply to the brooder as well?

 

[Welshies]

No, it does not. Go to the articles section and raising baby chicks. It will tell you what you need to know!

 

[junebuggena]

A good general rule of thumb when it comes to brooder space is as follows-
Week 1 - 1/4 sq ft per chick
Week 2 - 1/2 sq ft per chick
Week 3 - 1 sq ft per chick
Week 4 - 2 sq ft per chick
Week 5 - 4 sq ft per chick
Week 6 - 8 sq ft per chick
After that, they should be fully weaned off heat and ready to go outside.

 

[TattooedChicks]

How long do you plan to keep them in the brooder? They will grow faster than you think so caution on the side of bigger is better. I raised 20 bantams in a roughly 6 x 12 foot space until they were 2 weeks old and big enough to go in the coop this past summer. For winter brooding they may need to be inside for 4-8 weeks depending on your weather, coop and their development, and they could get cramped by that point in a small space.

 

[lazy gardener]

I suggest that you get a couple of appliance boxes. You can hook them together. By the time your chicks are 2 - 3 weeks old, they should have at least 2 s.f./chick. They need plenty of room to spread their wings and engage in chicky behavior. Also, by providing a brooder that is big enough you can avoid the risk of overheating them.

I am an advocate of what is affectionately called Mama Heating Pad brooding. If you do a thread or article search, you will find both written by @Blooie . Brooding chicks with a heating pad cave is as close to using a broody hen as you can get without actually having a broody hen. Less electricity use, less cost, much safer, and more natural for your chicks.

 

[AmazingRachel]

No (btw, coop sq footage is more like 2-3 sq ft per bird), in the brooder you want 1-2 ft. per bird.
I used two 45 gallon totes for my 16:

Easy to clean and high walls.
I made screens for the top when the chicks were 3 weeks old.

Put tables next to the boxes to put the heat lamps on, I didn't trust clamping them to the side of the box.

 

[lazy gardener]

The generally accepted rule of thumb for back yard flock keepers is 4 s.f./bird in the coop. Crowding beyond that can lead to problems with feather picking or aggression.

 

[Welshies]

The generally accepted rule of thumb for back yard flock keepers is 4 s.f./bird in the coop. Crowding beyond that can lead to problems with feather picking or aggression.

Agreed. However your birds will tell you what they need. Some need more space... others need less... Listen to your birds beyond just the numbers. Start with less and slowly add on to your flock if you wish. Be patient. I have had birds thrive with 2 square feet of coop space and others have been overcrowded with 8 square feet. Listen to your birds guys

 

[lereg]

Well, my thoughts were to make an 8'x4' broader that I could raise them in until they were feathered and the temps warmed up a little. I just don' know how big of a pain it would be to clean up after them, beings it would be awkward to get the middle.

 

[nminusyplusm]

Well, my thoughts were to make an 8'x4' broader that I could raise them in until they were feathered and the temps warmed up a little. I just don' know how big of a pain it would be to clean up after them, beings it would be awkward to get the middle.

I used deep bedding in a 3' x 7' brooder lined with a thick plastic drop cloth just adding wood shavings when needed. When the chicks moved to the coop the brooder shavings went into the deep litter run.