How much room in a brooder?

[viper125]

Thinking like 25 or so peeps? Any sq.ft. estimates?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Unless you're going to move them to a grow out pen at 3 weeks of age, they're gonna need A LOT of room. My largest brooder is 5'x8' and 25 chicks wouldn't make 7 weeks in that space. Everything about chickens is more space, more space, and more space.

There's nothing to be gained and much to have to contend with in going small or minimal. Be it brooder, coop, run, feeder space, waterers, roost lengths, etc.

 

[AlienChick]

And you can always separate them into 2 or 3 brooders instead of one super huge one.
But, yeah, they grow FAST!

 

[AlienChick]

I usually start day-old chicks inside my house and move them to a brooder out in the garden shed when they're about two weeks old.
Here is a pic of 25 day-old Polish chicks I ordered last year.
They were in a little kiddie pool brooder.

 

[viper125]

Well i was wondering about what to do. I am building a 8 x 8 ft coup inside my barn! But i wonder what the temps would have to be out side. They'd be sheltered from wind by the barn, again by the coup and then there would be a lamp or two. How cold can 2-5 week chicks actually handle?

 

[Fred's Hens]

If you can run power out to the coop? Go ahead and brood them out there. You could start in your basement for a week, just to see that they are OK, but the dust and smells will drive you bonkers.

I always brood outside in the barn or in the garage. I'm brooding now, yes, in the dead of winter in our unheated garage. I just threw old shipping blankets over the grow out pen and moved it into the garage. Hung the lamp and they've done fine. Last night was -15F and they were fine.

Again, if you can run an exterior power cord out to the coop? Sure. You can brood them out there. It's been done for centuries.

 

[viper125]

Well im building my coup in a large building 28 x 60 with a 15-20 ft ceiling. Going to build another building inside of it. Basically thinking of closing in a corner 6 ft high and im not sure how large an area. Able to make it 15 or 20 ft sq'ed if needed. egg boxes outside coup but inside the barn as i call it. Thinking of putting wire on one wall of the coup so it will ventilate inside. And no wind. Barn does leak air so should be great. Concrete floor so not sure what to put down but easy clean up. Run door will be run by ropes and pulley so i can close to clean or work when their out side.. Thinking of a 25-30 x 40-60 ft run. Going to start 25 hens a couple roosters and 10 cornish i hope. Water and electric on site.
My plan keeps getting bigger. LOL! But if you got to feed 2-3 isnt that much more feeding 30 i believe. Still got to make that walk. LOL!