Is my brooder large enough to hold chicks to 4-5 weeks?

[jason736]

Hello, first time raising chicks. My girlfriend and I have 26, 2 week old chicks. They are all healthy so far and starting to act like teenager dare devils. They're the hatchery's strain of RIR.
I'm unsure if our brooder is large enough to hold them to 4-5 weeks of age. The brooder is 4'x4' and 20" tall. Our basement temp is 52F and brooder temp is 90F on one side, 85F on the other. They all seem content and we haven't had any problems other than keeping the wood shavings out of the food and water.
We are in Southeastern Wisconsin and are concerned with putting them out in the coop at an earlier age, due to the radical changes in temp. around here. We need your input. THANK YOU.

On a side note, this site is great! Neither one of us have done this before and the wealth of information on here is huge. Most of our questions have been answered by just reading through the fourms.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think you are pretty safe for four weeks of age and probably five weeks. Usually 1/2 a square foot (a 12" x 6" area) is good for the first four weeks, then the needed space goes up, the usual recommendation is to 1 square foot per chick by the time they feather out. I had no problems at all keeping 28 chicks in a 3' x 5' brooder for 4 weeks, then I let them loose in a draft-free at ground level coop. My temperatures were warmer than yours will be though.

I assume you are dropping the temperatures about 5 degrees per week to help get them used to cooler temperatures as they feather out.

Good luck!!!

 

[jason736]

I'm trying to upload pics of the brooder on the post, can't figure it out.
It is quite cooler up here and I plan on having a couple lights in the coop. The coop is about done. Just have to run the electric to it today. Thank you for your response.

 

[Backyard Hencam]

I think you will need a larger space for 26 chicks. Is there a way to extend the brooder until they are ready for the outdoors? They don't always have to be under the light all the time and will run back to it when they get cold to get warmed up. Lights in the coop may work out fine. Just test it ahead of time to make sure it is draft free and that they have some warmth when they need it. Good luck with those chicks. Before you know it, they will be grownups!

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you do put lights in the coop, be very careful about fire. If you are using those heat lamps do not trust those clamps that come with them. I suggest running a wire to support the light, something that cannot fail.

How to post pictures/avatar
http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=26838

 

[jason736]

Thank you! I'm going to try the lights in the coop in a couple weeks. I don't have any room to expand the brooder.
We are hanging the lights on 1" twist chain right now, seems to make the temp. adjustment easier.

 

[lovinlife]

Cool brooder!

26 chicks will get very cramped in there at 4-5 weeks old. They'll double their size in a week. So imagine them in 4 weeks. Do you have their outside space set up yet?

 

[jason736]

The coop shoud be done in a week or so. I'm just worried about having enough heat out there. I'm going to run lights. Right now it is 39F outside and up to 60F daytime. Wisconsin weather.

 

[waterpossum]

i/ve got 27 chicks that are 2 1/2 weeks old now. i built a 4x4x8 foot out of plywood and hardware cloth on the bottom and put a tarp down underneath to catch all the poop. its plenty tall enough (4') they can/t fly out for quite a while and i have a heat lamp on one end and their feed on the other so they have to run the whole 8' to go eat which helps them get used to cooler temps