Can someone please answer by brooder questions?

[kiwiegg]

Hi! We have 16 Gold Star chicks arriving at our feed store next Thursday. I have feeder, food, waterer, the powder stuff for the water, pine shavings and a heat lamp. I have almost finished my coop (can't work out how to get pics on byc...super annoying) and will start the run this weekend. I'm sure this is chix101 but I want to make sure I am ready for the babies on Thursday. I am building a brooder out of leftover untreated plywood from coop build. Please give me your opinion on how big I should make this thing (area needed for chix and height) Also, is there a certain timeframe they need to be in there? In town today I had 2 completely different answers for that one. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Alihbaloch]

hey there welcome to byc!!
and congrats on your chicks YOU GOT TO PUT PICS UP OF YOUR CHICKS!! LOL
you can make a account a photobucket its free and then paste the url in the upload a photo area( format and stuff bar)..
chicks are really small so you dont need a big place since they gonna cuddle all together to stay warm for first couple weeks.
so for first 5 weeks you can make somewhere around 4 feet by 4 feet and 3 feet high should be deffff good.
if you need any help just get back! and dont put powder stuff every day!
give them first 2 days and then every other day for a week and keep reducing it ..
temp should be 95 at start and drop 5 degrees evert week! once again welcome

Hi! We have 16 Gold Star chicks arriving at our feed store next Thursday. I have feeder, food, waterer, the powder stuff for the water, pine shavings and a heat lamp. I have almost finished my coop (can't work out how to get pics on byc...super annoying) and will start the run this weekend. I'm sure this is chix101 but I want to make sure I am ready for the babies on Thursday. I am building a brooder out of leftover untreated plywood from coop build. Please give me your opinion on how big I should make this thing (area needed for chix and height) Also, is there a certain timeframe they need to be in there? In town today I had 2 completely different answers for that one. I keep reading that you are supposed to lower temp by 5 degrees as they get older. How on earth do you get that accurate with a $15 lamp and bulb from tractor supply...gues?. Thanks for any advice.

 

[kiwiegg]

Thanks for the reply and the dimensions! Is 5 weeks standard time before they get to go in coop/run? Roughly what % of their adult body weight are they by then do u think? Thanks again!
Great suggestion for photobucket too.

 

[Alihbaloch]

not a problem just dont forget to pics UPPPP!!
since hard winter is already over but i know it still cold.
i moved my 4 weeks old outside 3 weeks ago and they were fine,i did gave em save-a-chick powder from TSC. once a week
you can move your chicks out once they are all feathered out.
they shuold be fine

Thanks for the reply and the dimensions! Is 5 weeks standard time before they get to go in coop/run? Roughly what % of their adult body weight are they by then do u think? Thanks again!
Great suggestion for photobucket too.

 

[goldchicks]

What is save-a-chick powder? I read someone said to have a draft free place outside is this true? I have a very open temporary home for my chicks, is this bad? I am extremely new to this!

 

[Alihbaloch]

you can get it from tractor supply. its like a protein powder you put in water.
you dont wanna leave chicks alone outside open, they might end up as a dinner for a hawk or coons

What is save-a-chick powder? I read someone said to have a draft free place outside is this true? I have a very open temporary home for my chicks, is this bad? I am extremely new to this!