How long can my chicks stay in the brooder

[snapkrackelpop19]

I've got three chicks, two copper marans and a rhode island red staying in a brooder thats about 30x20 inches and about 22 inches deep. How long will they be able to stay in the brooder until they need more room? I'm thinking 6 weeks however this is my first time raising chicks so I don't know how big they'll be at that age. Thanks!

 

[whillo]

You can check my page to see what I moved the chicks OUT of and INto at 2 weeks. They grow so fast. They were flying out of the little one (your size) after a week. They loved the horse trough, but they were way ready to move out of that at 6 weeks. We had to keep them in there for another 2 weeks. It got bad. I mean, they had a lot of time out in the yard because I felt so guilty, but they were starting to fight over the small roost and the others would sleep under and get pooped on all night.

Best to have a place for them to go after a couple more weeks in the tub.

 

[7528620xs]

I'm thinking 6 weeks however this is my first time raising chicks so I don't know how big they'll be at that age. Thanks!




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[azygous]

Wait until you see how fast they grow and how active they are!

With just three chicks you may be able to get away with such a small brooder for three weeks, but beyond that, they'll be flying the coop, so to speak.

At that age, they need room to run and flap their wings and even get air-born. You can mitigate the problem and be able to keep them in the same brooder until six weeks only if you give them plenty, like all day, of outdoor time in a protected pen.

I've seen threads describing how people enlarged their brooders after three weeks by joining the brooder with another one and cutting a pass-through into the two brooders. I did that myself to huge success. But even still, the my chicks, at four weeks, are spending all day outside on 80 degree days.

 

[Chickenkate17]

Quote:
I love your chicken photos! How do you get them to stay still??? Mine always come out blurry and missing a head or something....

 

[PunkinPeep]

Hi Snap!

Since there are just three of them, they will last longer in that little brooder, but do keep in mind that they need to run and play like little kids to. And it's great fun to see them running around outside, so if you live someplace where the weather is warm, i think putting them outside during the day is a great idea! They'll be able to sleep just fine in that brooder until they're quite a bit older. Six weeks is a stretch even then. But playtime really requires more room.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Is your brooder in the house? If so, there will be a point when you won't be able to stand it anymore. Growing babies generate a lot of feather dust and a lot of poop. I usually make it about a month before I move them outside to the grow out pen. The timing seems to coincide with their need to flap, so it all works out.

 

[sharol]

I had my 7 chicks in a 52x22x 22 tall 'cat cage' from my old cat show days. I thought (silly me) that they would be fine there until they were 6 weeks or so. By that time the weather will be nicer (not so hot), and I could move them out to the run/coop.

They are 4 1/2 weeks old and they have been out in the run during the days for a week and a half. Last night was their 2nd night in the outside coop.

They were so crowded that they were banging into walls and into each other. I was afraid we would develop some behavioral problems with them that crowded. So, out they went last week.

However long you think you will keep them in the brooder, it won't be that long.

 

[gavinandallison]

We gave them 6 weeks!!

 

[snapkrackelpop19]

Thanks guys for your help! I think I will put them in a little coop outside when they're about 3-4 weeks with a heat lamp, and fence them off from the rest of my big hens. I'm just worried to start mixing them in with my big hens too soon. I know at least one of my girls will give them hell for a few days. How old should they be before I start introducing them? I don't want them getting hurt.

why can't they all be friends? lol