I AM A COMPLETE IDIOT

[oldfartfarmer]

So, in admitting that,

I have 6 comets, i bought this last spring, they do a great job of giving me eggs, they were already grown up,
there fun and come when i call them,

but after seeing my neighbors chickens I've fallen in love with

I'm thinking of getting 2 Buff-Brahmas a great jersey and a wyandotte

I've never raised chicks,

how big of a cage/pen do i need to raise 4 more chickens ?

I can get them at my local hardware store when they accept orders

How tough is it to raise them?

can i put the pen/cage in the garage?
or
down in my heated finished basement?

will they become friendly with my comets ?

How tough is it?

thanks
john

 

[Blooie]

HI John,
Raising chicks isn't difficult - they're almost like short chickens! That said, they do have some specific requirements, and you're going to want to integrate them with your adults at some point. So make it easy on yourself and on them....here are a couple of links.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors

 

[azygous]

It's not tough at all with a little prep and information so you understand the needs of baby chicks.

Contrary to what many people think, chicks need quite a bit of room after the first week, about ten square feet minimum for half a dozen.

But the best thing is to create a chick pen either in your coop or in your run. The best sort of heat to use is the heating pad system, not a heat lamp, which is dangerous and tends to "cook" the chicks rather than merely warm them. Baby chicks will start out requiring it to be around 85 degrees F directly beneath the heat source (not the 100 degrees that charts recommend). The surrounding environment should be much cooler.

See "Mama Heating pad for the Brooder" thread on this forum. Blooie, you beat me by a few seconds!

 

[Blooie]

Sorry, @azygous Great minds and Heating Pad fans think alike!!