How long can 18-20 chicks stay in a 4'x8' brooder/coop???

[Intheswamp]

I'm hoping to get 1 1/2 dozen eggs each of two different breeds of large fowl chickens to start my flock (total of 3 dozen eggs). I hope to get a 50% hatch out of these three dozen eggs and to do at least as well as a 50/50 split between pullets and cockerels. I'm hoping for 18-20 chicks. I figure I will have to grow these birds out for a while to determine the sexes.

I have no coop at the moment but I'm thinking about going ahead and building a 4'x8' brooder/coop to grow these proposed 18 chicks out in and also to give me time to build the larger coop. Thus, the question is...

How long do you think 18 chicks could stay in a 32 square foot coop before it gets too unmanageable?

Thanks for you help!
Ed

 

[greathorse]

I have the same size brooder coop and at about 6 weeks it is clear that it is time to move them to a pen I stock at a similar density

 

[NonnasBabies]

I kept 15 in their brooder till they were 16 weeks old. Their brooder is 7x3x3...

Missi

 

[chauqg]

I kept 25 in the same size brooder until 4-5 weeks old, then covered the brooder with 9x4 tractor and allowed birds to move in and out of brooder. Then when space was getting scarce at 3months removed brooder and let the chicks free range and sleep in the tractor. At 4 months moved 25 into 10x10 coop. Worked fine for me.

Good luck!

 

[Intheswamp]

Thanks for all the feedback! Ok, I'm looking at being able to hold them in the 4x8 brooder/coop for at least 6 weeks. Missi, did your 16 weeks include allowing them access to a run?

I have promised myself that I wouldn't get chickens until I have the housing for them. But, something that I've also started looking is hatching chicks during the lengthening days to hopefully keep from having any developmental problems with the pullets.

I could put together a 4x8 coop in a weekend or so, from there it would take a couple of weeks to acquire the eggs. Figure 23-25 days of resting/incubation/baby-brooding. Then 40-45 days in the 4x8 brooder....

14+24+40=78 days

That would basically give me 2 1/2 months to get the larger coop and run built while holding the chicks in the 4x8 and small run. Later on, if I wanted to, I could use the 4x8 for a breeder coop, hospital, or...brooder.

Sounds doable!

Thanks again for the help!!
Ed