Need Help With Brooder

[Uncle Marc]

Just planned and built a brooder box. 2 feet by 4 feet by 2 feet. It looks kinda small to me. How many chicks will it hold and for how long. I hear they grow pretty fast.

 

[anthonyjames]

based on 1/2 sqft per bird that will work for about 2 weeks and 16 chicks. After that you will need to double or triple the size.

 

[jmtcmkb]

Quote:
I had 5 in one that exact same size, I had them in it for 5 weeks and they seemed pretty happy- I put them outside because of the mess, I made the sides of mine all hardware cloth and they were kicking out stuff right and left.

 

[Uncle Marc]

Two weeks? How much room do they need for the 6 weeks until feathered out?

 

[WhySayWhat]

My three chicks lasted about 8 weeks comfortably in a 50-gallon Rubbermaid tote, but the ceiling got very low for them! A 2 foot ceiling on the brooder is not going to be tall enough when they really start growing and feathering out...they need room to move around (vertically as well). An easier way of making a brooder is to know how many chicks you plan on getting and build it for twice that many.

 

[azygous]

Keep in mind that chicks DOUBLE in size each week. An area that will house six chicks comfortably for the first two weeks, will be much too small by week three. They also begin to use their wings to move vertically by week three. If they're to develop normally, you will need to provide them vertical space as well as horizontal.

I slap two cardboard appliance boxes together, cut a hole in the adjoining wall, and end up with plenty of space for up to ten chicks. For more chicks, get more boxes. Cheesecloth stretched over the top will keep little jumpers in.