Brooder too small now at 2.5 weeks

[TennesseeTruly]

I have 13 chicks that are between 3.5 and 5.5 weeks old. Silly me also though that my Rubbermaid brooders were going to work...NOT!!

I use Pack N Plays for baby macaws when I'm brooding them. I had to go get my Pack N Plays out for the chickens!! Not that it contains them! I walked into the spare room today and there were flying chickens ALL OVER!! ROFL!!

Hubby says the coop will be done tomorrow. I say it better be or else he AND the chicks will be sleeping in the barn tomorrow night!!! LOL

Laurie

 

[NellaBean]

I haven't even started the coop yet....and have two 6.5 week olds, six 4.5 week olds, and six 3.5 week olds.

Whoops

My two older ones still stay in their rubbermaid bin at night. But during the daylight, they go into a 4x4 'playpen' tractor I built them so they get exercise, can scratch, get out in the sun, etc.

The younger ones moved into a tack shed converted to a growout brooder. 3.5' by 6', divided in half with each age group on their own side. They stay there night and day. There are multiple roosts, a ladder, multiple shelves to go on, etc.

I let the two big kids into the big dog run (220' of perimeter fencing in an oval, with one solid wall/deck) for an hour today. I need to do some minor improvements in there and then they will move either into that yard during the day, or I will fence a 10x20 deck underneath for them to spend time out.

Then I will move the next age group out to the 4x4 playpen (it has a roof and those suckers can fly).

Once they go out, then the last age group will get the whole 3.5x6 shed/brooder to themselves during the day.

They ALL go in the shed at night.

By the time we get that far, I should have the "real" pen built and will be started on the coop.


I did not plan ahead very well. I am planning on getting rid of all the roosters and probably the leghorns since they are SO antisocial, flighty and NOT friendly no matter what I do. I should end up with 6-8 chickens in the end.

Don't feel too badly.....it's amazing how fast they grow. My 6-7 week olds look like mini chickens. Fully feathered and with real chicken behaviors. But they are fine at 6-7 weeks staying in a large rubbermaid bin to sleep only. So if you can get them a "playpen" for daytime, you can buy yourself some time to finish their coops/run.

 

[thekla]

erm.... think I'm gonna have to get my coop build faster than I had planned... mine are about a week old and seem to have plenty of room, but I will be getting more next week and a couple the week after (on reserve at local feed store as they come in) but yeah, they are growing fast so thank you for this thread it has made it really clear that I need to shake my tail feathers and get bigger space ready sooner than planned, luckily I have most of the supplies and a fair bit of time available to do so...grabs the grid paper to finalize the design (and yes, it is about twice the size of the first draft) speaking of which...has anyone else consideded using recycled sliding closet doors for the part of the coop inside the run so that it can be opened during a warm day to air out and for easy cleaning?? (with large eaves over to keep them dry) good idea? bad idea?

 

[chookchick]

Yep, every two weeks they seem to outgrow their space. Mine are at the stage (6 weeks) where I am loading them into a crate every morning, taking them out to the "baby run", and then loading them back in at night to the brooder. This weekend, I HOPE, I can get them used to the "baby coop" and start leaving them there overnight. But that first couple of nights outside makes me soooo nervous!

 

[felidaet]

I also live in Vancouver, Wa (Felida area). I currently have 18 chicks (standard breeds) in a metal water trough brooder. Some are 2 weeks old and the others are 3 weeks old. I am thinking that they are going to out grow the brooder by next weekend. I only have a couple of hours of work remaining to complete the coop, which I will do tomorrow morning. It is going to be warm here the next few days. The chicks are going to get a little supervised outside time during the warmest part of the day on Sat and Sun. I may also give them some time in their new coop. The run won't be completed for another week or two.

 

[Sequin]

Hey, some of you BYCers are really close to me it seems. I live on the edge of Camas/Vancouver... How cool is that? That we are all so close!?! =P

We are getting the coop in place this weekend as well. It will be really nice to have it started/done SOON!!! I hate having projects hang over my head. The chicks will no doubt be glad for it as well. Have a wonderful and sunny weekend everyone!!!

 

[MissCluck]

I just put the chicken wire over the top of my chain link kennel run yesterday and the girls at five weeks went out for their first picnic.

I am also nervous about putting them out to their run and coop for good! I think they'd be happier with the larger space. We are due for a week of rain and wind so I don't think this would be a good time...

They were certainly more active last night! Scratching and squawking!

 

[New2Peeps]

Quote:
Just to reaffirm the above---My 4 hens have 625 square feet each--that is 2500 feet total and the yard is still full of potholes and grazed down. They have their favorite areas to graze and dig and bathe. I am expanding their space but I imagine I will still have the digging issue

And a brooder needs to eventually expand to 3 or 4 square feet per bird if you are keeping them in until 4 or 5 weeks--otherwise you have a stinky mess!

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Just to reaffirm the above---My 4 hens have 625 square feet each--that is 2500 feet total and the yard is still full of potholes and grazed down. They have their favorite areas to graze and dig and bathe. I am expanding their space but I imagine I will still have the digging issue

And a brooder needs to eventually expand to 3 or 4 square feet per bird if you are keeping them in until 4 or 5 weeks--otherwise you have a stinky mess!

Blessings be upon you. You will rarely face issues with stench, festering mud, flies, disease or the host of other maladies people complain about and struggle with by crowding them.

Yes, they will scratch and graze in their favored spots. That is their nature. The alternative is to set them free completely, which I do not advoacte. We harbor these animals to derive benefit from them, after all, not cast them to the winds and hope for the best. Even in the wild state, they will still do it - you just may not see it.

But with that much controlled space, they won't turn the entire area into a fetid moonscape. Plus - and here's the kicker - you allow the land to absorb and diminish their waste burden, alleviating an entire host of problems you are otherwise faced with.

This is so sublimely simple, it's no wonder it is glossed over by most people.

 

[MissCluck]

Thankfully I've made my coop and run area completely portable. The run area is 10 x 10 and I'd like to buy two more individual panels to expand that - but for now the chickens can scratch and "graze" down one 10 x 10 area and then I'll be able to pick up the whole thing and move it to a fresh place.

I have six chickens. I'd definately say that was the max for my small coop and run. I was very concerned with safety for my chickens, which is why the run is on the smaller side until I could get more money together for more panels.