Brooder size...

[Panhandler80]

I'm reading that you should aim for 2.5 sq ft per chick. This seems odd to me because every picture I've seen has not been anywhere ear this size.

Last weekend I ripped a piece of standard plywood three times in order to create a square brooder that is 2 x 2, or 4 square feet. I'm not going to build a 40 square foot brooder. How long do you all think my brooder will be of adequate size?

By the time they are 4 weeks of age, the average low temp outside is 65 degrees over night. I was thinking I might just move them out there. Should this idea be abandoned? I guess I can expand the size of the brooder (in a draft free garage) if need be.

 

[pinknblackchaos]

You have to fit a feeder and a waterer in there too which will take up a lot of your space. Depends how many chicks you are going to have too. If you are going to have maybe 8 chicks or something that may be ok until 4 weeks, they will be cramped and you will have to clean it out very often but survivable. Any more than that, no.

 

[aart]

I'm reading that you should aim for 2.5 sq ft per chick.

At what age?
Most charts I've seen give age in weeks.

I'm not going to build a 40 square foot brooder. How long do you all think my brooder will be of adequate size?

So 16 chicks(if my math is correct)?
2x2' is gonna get tight quick.

Like any other rule of thumb, there are variables.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'm reading that you should aim for 2.5 sq ft per chick. This seems odd to me because every picture I've seen has not been anywhere ear this size.

That's because you're not looking at my brooder. I have just under 9 sq ft so that's to me a max of 4 chicks from day 2/3. Even then, they were going bonkers in there by 2 weeks or so, so by 3 weeks I gave them full run access. I wouldn't have kept them locked in there past 4 weeks for sure.

If the coop is done (I think yours is done, or close?) and you can run electricity out, just brood them in the coop.

 

[Panhandler80]

I wasn't thinking yesterday. I forgot that a sheet of plywood is 4 x 8. So, my brooder is only 2' TALL, but the LENGTH of each wall is 4 feet. So, I'm at approximately 16 square feet.

Next problem, I picked them up at the post office this morning (before they opened, BTW, which was nice of them) and the hatchery sent me TWENTY ONE chicks. I was expecting 15 with maybe an extra couple.

All appear healthy, but I'm not set up for a 33% increase of what I was planning on. Not sure what i'm going to do!

 

[aart]

Not sure what i'm going to do!

Try to sell them?

 

[Panhandler80]

I'll probably let them begin to feather out so that I can maybe (novice here) tell what's what... then I'll see if somebody I know wants a few. Already putting some feelers out. Not worried about selling them, I'll happily give away.

 

[easterbun]

the hatchery sent me TWENTY ONE chicks. I was expecting 15 with maybe an extra couple.

Yikes... I should get mine tomorrow, and I ordered 20, which was already pushing it (but knowing we always lose a couple)... hopefully I don't get too many extras!

 

[rosemarythyme]

You can handle a few extras while they're small, and just sell/trade/give them away once they're at the point they're coming off heat. There's a LOT of folks looking for chicks this year.