Chick Newbie! Brooder and Coop Questions

[heathercara]

Awesome - thank you! Do I need to add shavings as well so they don't have leg issues?

 

[Kiki]

Awesome - thank you! Do I need to add shavings as well so they don't have leg issues?

Well I don't believe shavings will prevent leg issues. It's a personal choice to use them, I do not. They are too dusty for me.

 

[Brahmachicken240]

Awesome - thank you! Do I need to add shavings as well so they don't have leg issues?

I use shavings on my coop floor, mainly because it makes it a lot easier to clean out and it’s more comfy on their feet, it also masks the smell a bit.

 

[heathercara]

I use shavings on my coop floor, mainly because it makes it a lot easier to clean out and it’s more comfy on their feet, it also masks the smell a bit.

How stinky are they? They'll be in the house in a spare bedroom (we don't have a garage, and these will be my first babies, so I'm kind of paranoid

 

[Brahmachicken240]

How stinky are they? They'll be in the house in a spare bedroom (we don't have a garage, and these will be my first babies, so I'm kind of paranoid

I’ve never raised chicks indoors before so I’m afraid I cannot really answer that

I’d say it’d be fine aslong as you clean the brooder out frequently.
Good luck!

 

[007Sean]

Howdy and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Thanks for joining us!

 

[Alaskan]

I like having the chicks in the house, yes they smell.... but you can change the bedding more often, and anyway it isn't for long.

I would worry a bit about having some silkies with some production type chickens. They are just very different critters. They can get along fine... but if they do not...

I like HUGE amounts of chicken space because I HATE having cannibal chickens, and lots of space means that is very unlikely to happen.

So I plan for a minimum of 8 square foot of indoor space per big chicken, 4 square foot per bantam.

10 square foot per chicken in the run, but bigger is better.

A huge run with half or 2/3 covered with a roof, the rest open would be ideal.

 

[Alaskan]

Oh, a screen window on top of the tote keeps the chicks in.

A cardboard box as a brooder is nice because as soon as it is dirty you can chunk it and get a new one. However I usually use a big long plastic tote.

 

[rosemarythyme]

1. We are planning on getting 6-8 chickens (3 bantams, 4-5 larger). Would a 46 x 46 puppy playpen be a good brooder? Or should I get the giant rubbermaid tub? They will be living indoors in a spare bedroom until they're ready for their coop. I already got the Brinsea Eco-warmer thing.

2. How big should the coop and run be for when they are adults? They will need to stay in their coop/run area unless we are outside with them due to predators.

3. What do you do if you get a rooster?

1. I'd actually recommend you build the coop FIRST (trust me, many of us have been there/done that with getting chicks without the coop ready, and you'll always end up with delays and the have to rush to get things finished) and then brood out in the coop, assuming you can run electricity out there. Takes all the mess out of the equation, takes the need to transition outside out of the equation, etc.

If that isn't possible, then your playpen should be fine for a few weeks. It must be covered (chicks can jump amazingly high) and depending on size of the openings in the pen, you may need to attach something like cardboard around the bottom foot or so to prevent chicks from escaping or worse, getting stuck in a gap and killing themselves.

2. Recommended minimum is 4 sq ft in coop + 10 sq ft in run for standard size birds. I would highly suggest going over the minimum especially in the run, as that helps avoid behavioral issues, especially with a mixed size flock.

3. The reality is it's hard to sell off/give away roos in many areas. We have a farm that'll take them as dinner donations.

How stinky are they? They'll be in the house in a spare bedroom (we don't have a garage, and these will be my first babies, so I'm kind of paranoid

They can get stinky, mostly because they seem to love spilling water everywhere if they can. They also make huge amounts of sticky dander. I brooded my first batch in a bathtub and had to clean up the wall 6' above the tub and about 4' away once I was done. I really really suggest brooding outside, better air quality for you and the chicks.

 

[JedJackson]

Welcome to BYC! You're already getting great advice, so I will just say I hope you enjoy spending time on this website.