Housing for the babies...

[CTChickenMom]

My chicks will be arriving the first week of April. I will have a dozen mixed girls. How big should I have their brooder to house a dozen chicks for 6 weeks? It has to be critter proof too, I have a dog and 2 cats plus some very curious children. (I'm more concerned about my kids getting into it and leaving it open. Cats don't need that kind of entertainment.)

 

[CovenantCreek]

I'm hoping someone will have answer for you soon, so I can figure out just how much space I'll need for 48 +/- chicks. I'm thinking they'll be taking over an entire 12'x12' stall before it warms up enough to send them out with the big girls.

 

[bigmike&nan]

Well we are getting 4 or 5 bantam cochins (blue or black mottled) chicks this Saturday from the woman who we went in on an order with (Buzzard Chick - aka Jen)... So we have our brooder all setup. We're using a large dog carrier we got locally - and we have a 250 watt infrared heat lamp hooked up to the carrier door with some stout wire. I have one of those projection clocks that posts the time and temp up on the ceiling and we have the temperature sensor for that in the brooder. It's currently a cozy 96 in there. The wife and I can simply look at the ceiling in the middle of the night and see how cozy the brooder is... (the sensor transmits the temp to the projection clock)... We have the carrier wrapped up in an old down comforter, totally sealed bottom, sides and back...

I think a setup like this would be fine for 12. Fortunately you have lots of time to get it going... Here is a very helpful thread that is RIGHT in this section as a sticky at the very top of the page.... Hundreds of ideas and photos... this place rocks !!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6233

 

[horsejody]

I put mine in a one of theose blue totes, and I straddle a metal saddle rack over it with the heat lamp hanging on it. My kids are grown, and the dog never hurts the chickes so I don't need a lid. However, if I did need a lid, I would cut a large opening in the lid that came with the tote and duct tape chicken wire over the opening. The kids would still be able to open it, but the cats couldn't get in.

 

[horsejody]

bigmike&nan :

Well we are getting 4 or 5 bantam cochins (blue or black mottled) chicks this Saturday from the woman who we went in on an order with (Buzzard Chick - aka Jen)... So we have our brooder all setup. We're using a large dog carrier we got locally - and we have a 250 watt infrared heat lamp hooked up to the carrier door with some stout wire. I have one of those projection clocks that posts the time and temp up on the ceiling and we have the temperature sensor for that in the brooder. It's currently a cozy 96 in there. The wife and I can simply look at the ceiling in the middle of the night and see how cozy the brooder is... (the sensor transmits the temp to the projection clock)... We have the carrier wrapped up in an old down comforter, totally sealed bottom, sides and back...

I think a setup like this would be fine for 12. Fortunately you have lots of time to get it going... Here is a very helpful thread that is RIGHT in this section as a sticky at the very top of the page.... Hundreds of ideas and photos... this place rocks !!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6233

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd80/mikennansourhouse/P1150210.jpg

Be careful that a bulb that strong doesn't get too hot. The biggest bulb I have ever had to use for a small number in a little brooder was 150 watts.

ETA: I like the quilt in the picture.​

 

[BrackenFarms]

I am new to al of this and have 32 chicks ordered. And through all of my research i have found out that most hatcheries suggest 1/2 sq ft per bird from 1-4 wks old and after 4 weeks increase space to 3/4 sq ft per bird... so i am going to build housing at 3/4 sq ft per bird to start and just section off for first 4 wks to save money... so for 12 birds... thats 12x0.75=9 sq ft so a 3' x 3' box with a lid should suffice.... im framing my box with 2x2's and sheating sides and bottom with plywood the top will be a lid framed with 2x2's and covered with chicken wire and a barn latch to keep it closed...

so a 3 ft by 3 ft square box thats 2 ft tall with lid will be perfection for the chickadees good luck :0)

 

[BrackenFarms]

Re: Housing for the babies...I'm hoping someone will have answer for you soon, so I can figure out just how much space I'll need for 48 +/- chicks. I'm thinking they'll be taking over an entire 12'x12' stall before it warms up enough to send them out with the big girls.


for covenant creek this conversion for 48 birds would be 36 sq feet which could be a 6x 6 box or9x4 or 12 x 3 hope this helps

 

[CTChickenMom]

I had given up on finding what I wanted to purchase and what I decided to build was going to be 30"x36"x24". I was close. I did get a lockable latch for it, more to keep my 3 yr old from opening it and I also purchased handles so that I can carry it out to the henhouse when its finished. It will be easy to add another 6 inches. I'll write down the space/chick for future reference...thank you!

 

[BrackenFarms]

very welcome glad i could help

 

[CovenantCreek]

MayorB.85 :

Re: Housing for the babies...I'm hoping someone will have answer for you soon, so I can figure out just how much space I'll need for 48 +/- chicks. I'm thinking they'll be taking over an entire 12'x12' stall before it warms up enough to send them out with the big girls.


for covenant creek this conversion for 48 birds would be 36 sq feet which could be a 6x 6 box or9x4 or 12 x 3 hope this helps

Thanks, that does help -- when the current batch out grows the 4'x4' brooder, they can have the rest of the stall and I can get more chicks!