Chicks arriving this week & I have some last minute prep questions...

[ChickenLittle5]

My chicks should be arriving this week, so I’m spending the weekend getting everything ready. After losing our first batch of chicks to a predator—presumably the dog or a rat—we are building a brooder out of plywood and hardware cloth. Our plan is to build either a single large 4’x8’ (with a divider?) brooder or two smaller 4’x4’ Brooder. We plan to use one sheet of plywood per brooder, so actual interior measurements will be slightly smaller. Both scenarios will be 2’ tall with hardware cloth top. We anticipate two separate shipments of chicks. One is scheduled to ship Monday (16 Easter Eggers) and the rest Wednesday (10 Bielefelders & 5 Wyandotte). My questions...

1. I’ve read it is bad to combine older & younger chicks. Does that apply to a 2 day age difference? Would you combine these chicks or use separate brooders? If separate, would you just separate with hardware cloth divider so they can get used to each other for when they share a coop? We haven’t built the coop yet, so I’m hoping to have a brooder(s) large enough to keep the chicks for 6 weeks. Also, is there any reason I shouldn’t keep all of these chicken breeds together in one coop?

2. I have the following supplies on hand: pine shavings, 2 waterer, 2 feeders, 2 heat lamps with extra red bulbs, medicated chick starter, ACV w/ the mother, probiotics, amprolium, and electrolytes are in the mail. Am I forgetting anything? Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t have bought the amprolium, but due to the pandemic, I’m being proactive in case stores close.

 

[rosemarythyme]

With just a 2 day difference I'd put them in the same brooder, but because that's a lot of chicks, for safety reasons (i.e. accidental trampling/crushing) I'd consider brooding them separately, though a 4x8 with a wire divider sounds like a good idea so both groups can grow up side by side. Plus you already have everything you'd need to brood in 2 batches (2 heat sources, 2 feeders, etc).

 

[ChickenLittle5]

With just a 2 day difference I'd put them in the same brooder, but because that's a lot of chicks, for safety reasons (i.e. accidental trampling/crushing) I'd consider brooding them separately, though a 4x8 with a wire divider sounds like a good idea so both groups can grow up side by side. Plus you already have everything you'd need to brood in 2 batches (2 heat sources, 2 feeders, etc).

Than you! At what age can I stop worry about them trampling/crushing each other?

 

[Ridgerunner]

1. I’ve read it is bad to combine older & younger chicks. Does that apply to a 2 day age difference? Would you combine these chicks or use separate brooders?

I would not worry about a 2-day age difference. Sometimes I get that much difference in the first to last to hatch in my incubator. I would combine them from the start.

That doesn't mean you don't have to pay attention. This has only happened once in all the years I've been doing this, so it has been really rare, but I once had a two week old chick hatched and raised by a broody kill a sibling. No age difference. No breed or color difference. Hatched and raised to that point together with no issues. For whatever reason he decided to kill a sibling, then started in on another. It's things like that I'm thinking of when I say I can't give guarantees with living animals regarding their behaviors. Even with this I would not hesitate to put the two groups together. Just watch.

If separate, would you just separate with hardware cloth divider so they can get used to each other for when they share a coop? We haven’t built the coop yet, so I’m hoping to have a brooder(s) large enough to keep the chicks for 6 weeks.

If you do separate them across wire so they can see each other is good. remember they can hop up fairly high and start flying really young so do a good divider. I've kept 28 chicks in a 3' x 5' brooder until they were 5 weeks old. It was getting crowded, it was time to let them out. I don't expect 6 weeks for 26 chicks to be bad in a 4' x 8' brooder. But get started n that coop. Now!

Also, is there any reason I shouldn’t keep all of these chicken breeds together in one coop?

In my experience and opinion, none whatsoever provided you facilities are suitable for that number.

2. I have the following supplies on hand: pine shavings, 2 waterer, 2 feeders, 2 heat lamps with extra red bulbs, medicated chick starter, ACV w/ the mother, probiotics, amprolium, and electrolytes are in the mail. Am I forgetting anything? Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t have bought the amprolium, but due to the pandemic, I’m being proactive in case stores close.

They need food, water, heat, protection from predators, and protection from weather. I think you have that covered.

I feed my brooder-raised chicks dirt from my run every three or four days, starting on day 2 or 3 in the brooder. This gets grit in their system, gives them probiotics from the adults, and gets them started on any flock immunities they may need. I try to strengthen their immune system from the start instead of raising them in a sterile environment and then tossing them out to the cold cruel world with their immune systems unprepared. Yours shouldn't get any probiotics as you don't have adults, but there might be something in your soil they could start building immunities against. I'm mainly thinking about Coccidiosis. If they are exposed to it for two to three weeks they will develop an immunity to that strain. I assume the medicine in your medicated feed is Amprolium. That will not give them immunity but if you feed then dirt every few days it will allow them to develop the immunity they need, if it is even present in your soil.

The stories I've heard about chicks piling on and injuring or killing each other are from the broiler industry where they raise a lot of Cornish X chicks together. Something frightens them, they panic and pile up at the far wall while struggling to get further away. Again, I can't give you guarantees that something bad won't happen, but I would nor hesitate to raise all of your 26 in the same brooder. I regularly raise 20 to 28 in what is now my 3' x 6' brooder.

 

[KeepinCritters]

My chicks should be arriving this week, so I’m spending the weekend getting everything ready. After losing our first batch of chicks to a predator—presumably the dog or a rat—we are building a brooder out of plywood and hardware cloth. Our plan is to build either a single large 4’x8’ (with a divider?) brooder or two smaller 4’x4’ Brooder. We plan to use one sheet of plywood per brooder, so actual interior measurements will be slightly smaller. Both scenarios will be 2’ tall with hardware cloth top. We anticipate two separate shipments of chicks. One is scheduled to ship Monday (16 Easter Eggers) and the rest Wednesday (10 Bielefelders & 5 Wyandotte). My questions...

1. I’ve read it is bad to combine older & younger chicks. Does that apply to a 2 day age difference? Would you combine these chicks or use separate brooders? If separate, would you just separate with hardware cloth divider so they can get used to each other for when they share a coop? We haven’t built the coop yet, so I’m hoping to have a brooder(s) large enough to keep the chicks for 6 weeks. Also, is there any reason I shouldn’t keep all of these chicken breeds together in one coop?

2. I have the following supplies on hand: pine shavings, 2 waterer, 2 feeders, 2 heat lamps with extra red bulbs, medicated chick starter, ACV w/ the mother, probiotics, amprolium, and electrolytes are in the mail. Am I forgetting anything? Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t have bought the amprolium, but due to the pandemic, I’m being proactive in case stores close.

1. No problem combining the two groups they will get along just fine.
2. It is always good to plan ahead, good job.

The brooder:
You need to have good air circulation because poop generates among aND that isn't good for the flock. I would have 1 side with chicken wire.
They will foul their feed and water dish with pine shavings. I limit that by placing those on a block of wood (no pressure treated).
Beware of pasty butt it can kill. I clean pasty butts with a soft cloth and warm water.

I saw a neat trick on facebook for baby chicks. Hand feather dusters over the bottom of the brooder. Chicks love them and gather underneath like it is momma.

I put a little roost in for the chicks. It is 6" tall, I used a 1/2" dowel and they love it.

Watch your chicks start looking up like they are contemplating escape. It will not be long before they try just that. My brooder is 34" high and they have made it to the top of that.

Get a cheap kiddie pool and cut out the bottom. Place it in a shady grassy area and put your chicks in there. They love scratching and picking through the grass.

 

[Justso]

I would put the ACV aside, they just need clean water.

 

[ChickenLittle5]

1. I’ve read it is bad to combine older & younger chicks. Does that apply to a 2 day age difference? Would you combine these chicks or use separate brooders?

I would not worry about a 2-day age difference. Sometimes I get that much difference in the first to last to hatch in my incubator. I would combine them from the start.

That doesn't mean you don't have to pay attention. This has only happened once in all the years I've been doing this, so it has been really rare, but I once had a two week old chick hatched and raised by a broody kill a sibling. No age difference. No breed or color difference. Hatched and raised to that point together with no issues. For whatever reason he decided to kill a sibling, then started in on another. It's things like that I'm thinking of when I say I can't give guarantees with living animals regarding their behaviors. Even with this I would not hesitate to put the two groups together. Just watch.

If separate, would you just separate with hardware cloth divider so they can get used to each other for when they share a coop? We haven’t built the coop yet, so I’m hoping to have a brooder(s) large enough to keep the chicks for 6 weeks.

If you do separate them across wire so they can see each other is good. remember they can hop up fairly high and start flying really young so do a good divider. I've kept 28 chicks in a 3' x 5' brooder until they were 5 weeks old. It was getting crowded, it was time to let them out. I don't expect 6 weeks for 26 chicks to be bad in a 4' x 8' brooder. But get started n that coop. Now!

Also, is there any reason I shouldn’t keep all of these chicken breeds together in one coop?

In my experience and opinion, none whatsoever provided you facilities are suitable for that number.

2. I have the following supplies on hand: pine shavings, 2 waterer, 2 feeders, 2 heat lamps with extra red bulbs, medicated chick starter, ACV w/ the mother, probiotics, amprolium, and electrolytes are in the mail. Am I forgetting anything? Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t have bought the amprolium, but due to the pandemic, I’m being proactive in case stores close.

They need food, water, heat, protection from predators, and protection from weather. I think you have that covered.

I feed my brooder-raised chicks dirt from my run every three or four days, starting on day 2 or 3 in the brooder. This gets grit in their system, gives them probiotics from the adults, and gets them started on any flock immunities they may need. I try to strengthen their immune system from the start instead of raising them in a sterile environment and then tossing them out to the cold cruel world with their immune systems unprepared. Yours shouldn't get any probiotics as you don't have adults, but there might be something in your soil they could start building immunities against. I'm mainly thinking about Coccidiosis. If they are exposed to it for two to three weeks they will develop an immunity to that strain. I assume the medicine in your medicated feed is Amprolium. That will not give them immunity but if you feed then dirt every few days it will allow them to develop the immunity they need, if it is even present in your soil.

The stories I've heard about chicks piling on and injuring or killing each other are from the broiler industry where they raise a lot of Cornish X chicks together. Something frightens them, they panic and pile up at the far wall while struggling to get further away. Again, I can't give you guarantees that something bad won't happen, but I would nor hesitate to raise all of your 26 in the same brooder. I regularly raise 20 to 28 in what is now my 3' x 6' brooder.

Thanks. I’ll consider adding some dirt after a few days if we get some dry weather. I’m glad to hear you’ve had 28 chicks in a brooder that size. We went with 4x8 because we were being lazy & just cut the plywood in half or quarters. We currently just have the solid divider, but plan on cutting a window to cover with hardware cloth or a door to allow passage between the two sides. I still haven’t decided if I’m going to put them all together on one side at first and open the second half as the grow, or if we will start off divided. I have a few more days to debate the pros and cons.

1. No problem combining the two groups they will get along just fine.
2. It is always good to plan ahead, good job.

The brooder:
You need to have good air circulation because poop generates among aND that isn't good for the flock. I would have 1 side with chicken wire.
They will foul their feed and water dish with pine shavings. I limit that by placing those on a block of wood (no pressure treated).
Beware of pasty butt it can kill. I clean pasty butts with a soft cloth and warm water.

I saw a neat trick on facebook for baby chicks. Hand feather dusters over the bottom of the brooder. Chicks love them and gather underneath like it is momma.

I put a little roost in for the chicks. It is 6" tall, I used a 1/2" dowel and they love it.

Watch your chicks start looking up like they are contemplating escape. It will not be long before they try just that. My brooder is 34" high and they have made it to the top of that.

Get a cheap kiddie pool and cut out the bottom. Place it in a shady grassy area and put your chicks in there. They love scratching and picking through the grass.

Thanks for the tips. I plan on adding little roosts, too. I’m going to let the kids each build one as an activity.

I would put the ACV aside, they just need clean water.

I’m not planning on using the ACV unless I need too. Like the amprolium, I went ahead and purchased it just in case I need it. And if I don’t need it for the chicks, I’m certain I can use it in the kitchen.