BrOoder? Stop I am Confused?

[kera!]

please help I have read old post and Still the question remains a brooder size for about 20 ish chicks??55 gal tub just doesnt seem big enough?? for the 6-8 weeks and so and so on. what is the best way start small and work up?? also I am going to have the chicks in the house we dont have a heated garage and it is still 35 or lower at night..how high does it need to be when do they start hopping out or flying out...Thanks in advance never been the mama hen before? always had the pros do this part..

 

[dianaross77]

Mine are 2 weeks old and are already hopping and flying around. They have just over 1sq ft a piece and it's looking tight again already. Once they are a little bigger they'll be moving down to a kennel (6x10) in my basement. If you are going to have that many you might want to look into a kiddie pool type brooder. Or break them up into more than one group so they'll fit into big plastic tubs.

 

[abercrombie575]

I have 16 chicks in this brooder and they have plenty of room. When they 4-5 weeks old I am moving them outside (still with access to a heat lamp). The brooder is about 4x4 and 2 1/2 foot high. Give or take a few inches taking into account that it is homemade and we were not trying to be exact. We were just using left over pieces of plywood.

Also, mine are 3 weeks old in this photo and they can already jump up onto the rim of the brooder when I have to lid lifted for cleaning, food or water!!! If you are doing a rubbermaid tub I would cut air holes in the lid and keep it around for when they are big enough to jump out.

 

[Dingleberry]

my 55 g held 6 of mine and I used extra hardwire cloth for the top. I agree with splitting them up or using a kiddie pool.

 

[teach1rusl]

Not sure of the dimensions of a 55 gallon tub, so I'd go by measurements for whatever things you're considering using as a brooder. I think for the first week or two, it's 6 sq. inches (minimum) per chick, then up to a foot per chick, and by a month or so it's 2 sq ft. per chick. Just like with grown birds, more space is always better IMO. I don't know what your coop set-up is, but if it's draft free, you can always use a brooder lamp out there to get them into more space (and out of the house) sooner. Mine just spent their first night out in the coop, and they're 2 and 3 weeks old; they had a lamp of course, as we got down to 40 last night.
20 is a LOT of birds to try to keep indoors for more than a few weeks...

Oh - and I'd be sure to do some kind of lid on whatever you use. They can and will fly around by the time they're 3 weeks...

Nice brooder abercrombie!