The brooder space Is like 8sq ft probably. The coop run is 3ftx7.5ft and the larger run that it is in is 8ftx16ft. I’ve been letting them into the coop run area or letting them in my yard for some exercise a few times a day. It’s been so rainy here. The coop and run are covered but it’s not 100% done. The gate can go up tomorrow in between rain showers.
The indoor coop space is 3ft by 4ft I think. I eliminated the nesting box space since they don’t need it right now so it is a little bigger than that.
The coop + the run seem big enough for four chicks. I could see why they would do it in the eight square-foot area. I don’t understand why they would do it in the coop.
I could put a heat lamp out there for them at night but I am scared she will just spend all night plucking her.
Can you go to Home Depot and buy two big cardboard boxes and just tape them together to make a larger brooder maybe 3’ x 5’ for a few days until you are done building your outdoor coop and enclosure? If you put them outside, just make sure you buy a ceramic bulb, that’s what I used, they don’t give off light only heat. Your chick will not be able to be picking at her in the dark I do not think. Is your silky a white chick? I don’t know but I just thought that maybe your bulb is making her feathering appear red since the color of the heat lamp is red, maybe that is stressing that other chick out and causing her to pick at her.
I can do that with the boxes and see if it helps.
Yeah they have zero interest in the dried ones I keep offering lol. I’ll try that too!Try putting some live mealworms or crickets in the brooder at the times when pecking is an issue.
Barred rocks are very active forage driven birds even as babes, get her mind on better things to eat besides her silkie sibling.
