how tall does my brooder need to be?

[L*A*G*]

i am going to build a brooder here shortly and I need to know about how tall does a brooder need to be to raise chicks for 12 weeks?

 

[miss_thenorth]

Why 12 weeks? My broody kicks her chicklets out of the nest at 8 weeks, and they can definitely be out and about before that, with a place to hide and such. but.... I would build a brooder at least 2-3 ft high. If you ARE going to keep them in a brooder that long, it will have to be big, so they have PLENTY of room to run around in. Or else you will have pecking problems.

 

[louloubean]

yeah, i wish i knew the little buggers would double in size every week....
our wading pool was outgrown in 3 weeks, and the shipping crate that was the next brooder was too small too (they figured out how to jump on the waterer and then out)
think BIG box with a roof! at least a wire roof.
are you putting this in a pen with other birds?

 

[L*A*G*]

Quote:
i plan to make a big brooder that is big enough to raise 15 chicks for 12 weeks. why 12 weeks? i want to raise them all year long so they will need to be in the warm until they can handle the cool georgia nights.

 

[obchix]

We start with a rabblt cage and then move them to our dog crates. First the smaller dogs crate(50 lb dog) then the bigger one (120lb). Its really cool because then we can put them outside during the day with a towel for shade, pull the bin out at the bottom and they can forage in the square, and then put them back in at night. Only make sure you put something around the edges so that they keep their heads inside the crate when it is outside. We lost two to a hawk that way- not pretty! When they are big enough to put in the big coop with the big girls! "recycling"

 

[NonnasBabies]

I just built one last week for my 15 - almost 6 week old barred rocks.. Made it 2 1/2 X 2 1/2 by 7 foot...

They have plenty of room till they get big enough to go into our coop!!

Missi

 

[miss_thenorth]

how cool arfe cool Georgia nights? I have 10 week olds outside in the barn, and they have been for a month now. Our nights are getting close to freezing. Once they are feathered out, they will be fine. I can't imagine Georgia would get this cold, but I could be wrong.

 

[L*A*G*]

Quote:
if you are from canada then there's a big difference! i don't have a heater in my copp so they have to stay in the brooder longer. anyways it get down to14F in some nights. that is tooooo cold for some chickies!!

 

[miss_thenorth]

L*A*G* :

Quote:
if you are from canada then there's a big difference! i don't have a heater in my copp so they have to stay in the brooder longer. anyways it get down to14F in some nights. that is tooooo cold for some chickies!!

I only put a heat lamp in when the temps get down to way below freezing. And only to keep the eggs from freezing. Right now I have a momma with one week old chicks in the barn. While momma is keeping them warm, they are running around eating and scratching, and it's just above freezing right now. There is no heat in my barn. Chickens are alot tougher than you think.​