Brooding box

[rosemarythyme]

Your tote is 4.15 sq ft, so a little too small IMO for six 2 week old chicks. I'd personally want to give them at least 1 sq ft per chick at this point, and 2 sq ft per by 4 weeks. Yes I'm more generous with space for chicks than most, because I see how rambunctious they can get even when they're little.

If the coop is nearly done and you anticipate it being done in let's say the next 2 weeks or so, I'd just upgrade to a couple of cardboard boxes taped together for the brooder, and then the chicks can move to the coop as soon as it's done.

 

[Bear1978]

Your tote is 4.15 sq ft, so a little too small IMO for six 2 week old chicks. I'd personally want to give them at least 1 sq ft per chick at this point, and 2 sq ft per by 4 weeks. Yes I'm more generous with space for chicks than most, because I see how rambunctious they can get even when they're little.

If the coop is nearly done and you anticipate it being done in let's say the next 2 weeks or so, I'd just upgrade to a couple of cardboard boxes taped together for the brooder, and then the chicks can move to the coop as soon as it's done.

thanks! I do have a 3ft x 22in dog kennel Ithought about converting as they won’t be 6 weeks old until July 24th so I still have several weeks before they are ready to go outside.
But that size of dog kennel is only about 5.5 sq ft. Not much bigger than they are in now.

However they have some 18x18 cardboard boxes pretty cheap at the store. I was gonna get 3 of those and do as you said and tape them together with a screen front on one side for them to see out of. It’s 24in high so with a top that should work don’t you think?

 

[Bear1978]

Here’s the new, larger box! I went to the local hardware store and they had two Char-Broil grill boxes opened out back in the bin so I grabbed them up, wiped them out with a Lysol wipe, taped them together and got some free screen material from my brother in law. Presto a new FREE brooding box that is much bigger than the one they are in now!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Here’s the new, larger box! I went to the local hardware store and they had two Char-Broil grill boxes opened out back in the bin so I grabbed them up, wiped them out with a Lysol wipe, taped them together and got some free screen material from my brother in law. Presto a new FREE brooding box that is much bigger than the one they are in now!

Excellent, looks like a great size! And FREE! The chicks will love having those side "windows" - much better to be able to see some of the world outside, rather than 4 cardboard walls.

 

[Bear1978]

Thanks! I’m gonna put some 1x2 slats under it to support it a little more for when I move it outside to clean it out. As my wife would kill me if I cleaned it out there in my office! Lol!

 

[Bear1978]

So far the girls are liking the new space! I also removed the overhead heat lamp yesterday and replaced it with a heating plate and they did well with that too! So far so good!