chicks incoming!!!

[RazrRebel]

Chicks coming in Monday. I have 25 total coming from Murray. Mcmurray. 5 each of RIR, BO, Dommers, White leghorn, and Delawares. I have all my basic supplies. 2 feeders, 2 waterers, 2 heat lamps, starter crumbles, pine shavings, thermometers, and poultry nuttridrench. I will be building a brooder this weekend. I just need to know how big. I live in Va. So they will have to stay in the brooded for at least 4 weeks. Anybody that actually has raised 25 big stock chickens chime in. Just need to know how big to build my brooder.

 

[TOP KNOT]

Hello, I received 43 chicks safe and sound on March 4th from mm. I had built a brooder out of old underlay plywood (very thin) I have a small finish nail gun. I cut the plywood and used 2x4 in corners for support and scrap 3/4'' plywood to support floor to wall. I used a piece of 1/2'' pvc to run across the top of brooder to hook lamps on. I notched a spot in the rim so the pvc set into it and wouldent roll off. The floor space is 2'6''x3'6''. I kept them in that until yesterday and I moved them to a blocked off end of the coop, which is 9'x4'. I have 2 250 watt red heat lamps and I used large pieces of card board (from a bed we got) to put above on the roost rails to hold heat down. All is well and everyone has made themselves at home. for 25 for 4 weeks...I would probably make one the size of my first one that should be ok. you could go maybe 6'' larger each way and make it 3'x4'. even tack a couple of vertical guide rails on each side of the inside (like 1''x1'') and have a heavy piece of cardboard or a light piece of plywood as divider you can move it to make the space larger as they grow. So you could start with 1/2 the size of the brooder and increase it to the full space at like 2 weeks of age. I kept mine in my husbands pole barn with cement floor. No drafts but not heated it stays min of 40 degrees in there. I put card board over the top to keep the heat in and adjusted the opening on top to get the correct temp. I hung a thermometer from a wire hooked on the pvc in center of brooder. This worked very well for me and my little chicks. I just love them so much!!! Good luck with your construction!!

 

[TOP KNOT]

Oh forgot to say... I have heavy breeds too! buff orpingtons, black giants, black australorps, dominiques, araucanas, speckled sussex, white cochin, golden polish,& partridge rocks.

 

[RazrRebel]

Thanks top knot. I was thinking a 4 x 8 would be big enough. Just wanting a little info from someone who had at least 25 chicks.