HOw MAny IS tOO MAny????

[kera!]

Just wondering how many is too many baby chicks in a brooder it is 10 ft circle? how many Is to Many to Start With? Someone Be Real is the Baby chick thing Really Dificult. Am I in for punishment with Agreeing to Brood 3 sets of 12 This Spring and Summer (March, July, Sept)

 

[Judy]

I would think 12 would be fine in there for the first few weeks. As day olds they only need about 1/2 sq ft each. Of course it goes up fast. There used to be a formula on here for this, but after my other computer crashed I never could find it again. SOMETHING like, 1 sq ft up to 4 wks, 2 sq ft til 8 wks, 3 sq ft til 12 weeks, then 4 sq ft. SOMETHING like that.

Too old to remember how to figure area in a circle, but I'm guessing it's in the range of 14 or 16 sq ft. Where are the teens when you need them?

 

[kitchwitch]

12 at a time should be ok. how many is too many to start with depends on you and the time you have to dedicate to the chicks. My first batch of chicks I got 25 of them and of the ones that are left they run away from me any time I am near, I cannot pick them up if something is wrong, I have to wait until nighttime and it's a strong factor in my culling them this spring. My 3 new EEs, I bought from a local woman (I had 4, one was taken by a stray cat) and from day one I was able to hold them all and hand feed them all and just build a better relationship and as a result they follow me everywhere, I can let them out to free range (the others would just run away), they readily accept treats from me and don't fight my holding them. I only plan on raising poultry 10-12 at a time in the future (with the exception of meat chickens).

Raising chicks isn't difficult. keep their bedding clean and their food and water clean. Have poly-vi-sol and basic medical supplies on hand (and keep them separate from your own). My kit contains gauze, vet wrap, neosporin, mercuroclear, Vaseline, condoms (yes, more lube the better), KY Jelly, saline spray, Preparation H, scissors, baking soda, q-tips, honey, Popsicle sticks, syringes and latex gloves.
You also have to have the constitution to help them die if that is what needs to be done.

On that happy note, good luck!

 

[bakerjw]

10' circle.
Pi x R squared
3.14 x (5 x 5) = a bit more than 75 square feet.

ETA
And boy do they take up room quickly.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
And boy was I off! When I saw this, I thought, of course, I remember that.

And I got A's in geometry, about a million years ago.

On kitchwitch's reply, she is right, of course, it's much easier to tame a small group. However, not everyone wants their chickens to be this tame, or cares one way or the other. I don't have any lap chickens, there are a few I can sometimes pet when I have treats, but I have no trouble picking them up off the roost for inspection or care, which is fine with me. Personal preference here.

Might be something you should discuss with the people you're raising them for.