Brooder size

[Fee1inclucky]

Hi, how big a brooder do I need for 4 three week old bantam chicks? They’re currently in a plastic tote box but I’m worried they’re getting too cramped. Any pics of brooders you might have will be useful. We don’t have loads of space so compact is ideal without them suffering. TIA

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I think it's about a foot each? Bit that doesn't include space with the food, water or heat source

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Honestly as big as you can make it is always best

 

[Iluveggers]

Some people use those mesh kittty playpens, or an old dog crate. Like this:
PETMAKER Pet Playpen Collection - 42x25 Pop-Up Dog Kennel with Carry Bag - Portable Play Pen for Dogs, Cats, Rabbits, and Small Animals (Blue) https://a.co/d/eCPsuEM

 

[3KillerBs]

For the first week or two chicks need 1/2 square foot each. The space occupied by the feed and water doesn't count.

For the next several weeks they need 1 square foot each.

After that, they need 2 square feet each then up to the full 4 square feet each by the time they're 10-12 weeks.

The bigger the better. After the first few days to a week when they're learning how to find their feed and water they'll make use of more space than you think they will.

Here's how I used my 4'x8' Outdoor Brooder for my most recent hatch.

First few days, keep them close to the heat and the food.

After about 5 days, pick up the paper towels and give them a larger area.

In another week or 10 days -- or when they're starting to think about flying up to the top of the barrier -- give them the entire space.

They use the entire space as soon as they have access to it.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

For the first week or two chicks need 1/2 square foot each. The space occupied by the feed and water doesn't count.

For the next several weeks they need 1 square foot each.

After that, they need 2 square feet each then up to the full 4 square feet each by the time they're 10-12 weeks.

The bigger the better. After the first few days to a week when they're learning how to find their feed and water they'll make use of more space than you think they will.

Here's how I used my 4'x8' Outdoor Brooder for my most recent hatch.

First few days, keep them close to the heat and the food.

View attachment 3321427

After about 5 days, pick up the paper towels and give them a larger area.

View attachment 3321428View attachment 3321429

In another week or 10 days -- or when they're starting to think about flying up to the top of the barrier -- give them the entire space.

View attachment 3321430

They use the entire space as soon as they have access to it.

Awesome brooder.

 

[3KillerBs]

Awesome brooder.

Thank you.

The structure was given to me and though I'd have built it differently if I'd had my druthers it has served well so far.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I kept 28 full sized fowl chicks in a 3' x 5' brooder until they were 5 weeks old. That's roughly 1/2 of a square foot per chick and included food and water. I'll admit it was getting really crowded and was time for them to come out. Those were almost all girls. Another time I had 21 chicks in there until 5 weeks, but these were mostly boys. They were getting pretty crowded too.

That doesn't apply to your situation. Yours are bantam so they don't need as much room individually. But you only have four. Multiplying some square feet number by four gives you a totally different magnitude than multiplying by 21 or 28. You need more square feet per chick when you only have a few.

How long do you plan to leave them in there? That doesn't look horrible for another week, you can probably get another two weeks out of it but that might be a stretch. Since that is in your house you probably don't need to leave that heat plate in there, but I would. It adds clutter, gives them places to hide and something to play on.

If you have an outbuilding available, especially an attached garage with electricity and predator protection, a fairly easy and inexpensive way to create a large brooder is to get a large appliance cardboard box. You can get two and tape them together if you need to for size. Put cardboard or a tarp on the coop floor so their poop doesn't stain it and use bedding on that to keep it dry. Install your heat plate and you are good to go.

 

[Fee1inclucky]

Thank you everyone, think I will leave it another week and then move them into the garage with a larger pet playpen type thing, although I will miss hearing their little cheeps constantly