Chick Brooder Setup/Suggestions

[kengboss21]

This is my first brooder I’m getting 6 chicks tomorrow they should be around 1-2 weeks old.

I have a hanging waterer so they don’t tip it over and a heat plate with different heights. I also have a lid I cut out the middle of and added metal wire to if I want to expose them to the outdoor temps / if they fly.

Anything I should adjust/add?

This is a 77 Gallon Bin and they’ll stay here til 5-8 weeks til they’re feathered out and they’ll go out in the coop.

Any suggestions welcome

 

[Debbie292d]

This looks marvelous for them.

You didn't mention what breed your chicks are. I'm sort of thinking at around 6 weeks or so, this will get kind of small for them, but at 5-6 weeks you can probably remove the heat plate if they are where it doesn't get too cold, and put in a couple of perching things. We use skinny logs from the wood pile.

Congrats on your new chicks!!

 

[DLA]

This looks marvelous for them.

You didn't mention what breed your chicks are. I'm sort of thinking at around 6 weeks or so, this will get kind of small for them, but at 5-6 weeks you can probably remove the heat plate if they are where it doesn't get too cold, and put in a couple of perching things. We use skinny logs from the wood pile.

Congrats on your new chicks!!

It is super nice! But I agree unless they're bantam chicks that this will get too small pretty quickly. At 5 weeks my RIR had completely outgrown a similar brooder and ended up in the downstairs bathroom till I could get the run finished. I had 9 but 6 wouldn't have fit either at that age without causing crowding and pecking issues. They grow so very fast!

 

[kengboss21]

thank you and yea I plan to add a roost tomorrow a 1x2. I’m building a coop gonna plan to toss them out to the coop hopefully before week 6.

Im getting 2 speckled sussex
2 lavender Orpingtons
2 Easter eggers

 

[kengboss21]

It is super nice! But I agree unless they're bantam chicks that this will get too small pretty quickly. At 5 weeks my RIR had completely outgrown a similar brooder and ended up in the downstairs bathroom till I could get the run finished. I had 9 but 6 wouldn't have fit either at that age without causing crowding and pecking issues. They grow so very fast!

Noted, definitely plan on giving them outdoor time in a fenced area early on and transition them full time outside by week 6

 

[Debbie292d]

thank you and yea I plan to add a roost tomorrow a 1x2. I’m building a coop gonna plan to toss them out to the coop hopefully before week 6.

Im getting 2 speckled sussex
2 lavender Orpingtons
2 Easter eggers

This is what speckled sussex look like at 2 weeks. This brooder is 24"x36" so a tad smaller than your bin. There were 3 of them and a two-day old silkie. So you'd have 6 about this size. Just for perspective. Sounds like you've got it covered though!

 

[kengboss21]

thanks for the reference in size this helps a lot. What do they look like today these 3 SS and silkie?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Should be fine the first few weeks but I agree you'll need them out sooner than you think. 77 gal doesn't tell me the actual footprint but figure minimum of 1 sq ft of floor space per chick by week 4, and double that by week 8. If you can give them more space sooner they will use it.

They can easily jump to the top by week 2 so plan on having the cover on ALL the time.

 

[Debbie292d]

thanks for the reference in size this helps a lot. What do they look like today these 3 SS and silkie?

I sold the SS a few weeks later. I loved them but realized I really wanted to get into breeding fancy silkies. I have 14 silkies. They are a bantam breed but with all their feathers they sure look bigger than they are. My guess is they are around half the size of the ones yours will be. Here's a few of them.

 

[kengboss21]

Thank u I have another one jus the same I will connect them and give them double the space once I’m past week 4 and haven’t finished with the coop yet.