Just ordered chicks - have 1 month to get organized

[webs66]

Ok I just ordered 25 Buff Orpingtons from my pet chicken They will ship on Aug 11th. I need to know everything I'll need for when they arrive. My biggest question is how big of a brooder box to get. I have read so many different things, now I'm not sure. I have a 4' x 4' whelping box (I breed golden retrievers too) that I thought would be perfect, now I'm not sure it's big enough. Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

That should be big enough until they are about 4-5 weeks old and by that time they should be able to go to their permanent home in a hen house. Do you have one built yet?

 

[webs66]

SOrt of, we have a 8 x 8 playhouse that my kids don't use anymore that my husband is going to convert. Then pen in an area around it approx 48' x 16' We figure that should be good.

 

[ninjapoodles]

My first batch of 25 Buff Orps were raised in a brooder about 5x5, and that was MORE than enough space. I kicked them out at 4 weeks. This latest bunch, I got much braver and put outdoors at 2 weeks. They're doing great. It is very warm--HOT--here.

 

[HaileyandJoliesMom]

I have a ship date of August 11th too!!! I ordered the 25 brown egg layers bargain, 10 EE's and the free rare chick from Mcmurray. My brooder is 6 x 6, hopefully that will work till they are transferred outdoors!!

Good luck with your babies.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

You guys all have big brooders! Mine is a watermelon box from walmart but it did the trick till the girls were 5-6 weeks old

(had 11 in there) By then tho they wanted OUT! Now I have 8 girls in there and they are tiny tiny yet (4 days old). They are LOVING all the run around room! lol BTW hope everyone's chicks make it safe and sound!

 

[Sylvie]

That watermelon box sounds better than my little child's pool with mis-matching pieces of cardboard taped together around it LOL! They don't fit snug and the girls get between the pool and cardboard screaming for rescue!
It's still watermelon season here, so I'm going to ask for one! Thanks for the idea.

 

[HeadHen]

My Red Star, Black Star, RIR's, EE's, and 1 exotic are due from McMurrey 7/24 and I can't wait! Frantically trying to get ready for them. My first time owning chickens.
I told one of my nieces the other day "Guess what, in 12 days I'm going to have chickens!" to which her mother piped in "really, I didn't even know you where pregnant".

while we found that hilarious, my poor niece is now so confused...