Newbie questions

[56Chicks]

Hello all,

I currently have 6 5-day-old chicks in a deep 40 x 50” cardboard box under a 150-watt bulb while I wait for my mail-delayed brooder plate to arrive (today!).

I have multiple large cardboard boxes and am thinking ahead to expanding their brooder. What dimensions and configurations would you see as optimal over the next several weeks? I have a lot of cardboard!

Is there a particular procedure I should follow while transitioning them from the lamp to the brooder plate? Is it still considered true that a bit of variation in brooder plate temperature is safe, even though the same is not true of heat lamps?

Do the chicks need to wean to unmedicated starter before they move outside in order to build immunity to coccidiosis?

Is there an age at which they are a bit out of the woods in terms of being very very young and vulnerable?
I know these are a lot of questions and I apologize! I have been reading books and articles for the last two years but now that I have taken the plunge I feel so much less certainty in my knowledge. I would be grateful to suggestions re any of these topics.
Thank you!

 

[DavidKerk]

Hey,
I don't have answers to all your questions, but here I go...

I don't follow any hard and fast rule regarding brooder dimensions. If they seem crowded, give them some more space, but 40" by 50" should be fine for 6 chicks (my whole chicken coop isn't significantly larger).

I have always transitioned directly from medicated starter to layer feed (at about 16 weeks or first egg if you want to be really safe).

Once they are nearing the point of being fully feathered, they become much tougher. But they really aren't that sensitive after even a few weeks. My best advice is to remember that chickens are probably tougher than you think. Many books make it sound like everything needs to be done exactly right, but that is not true. Obviously you want to try to provide good living conditions (happy chickens lay more eggs), but do not worry if your environment isn't textbook.
Hope that helps!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Your brooder is big enough for first 4 weeks or so. Depending on your climate and coop (built? not yet built?) you could possibly just move them out at that point.

Regardless of heat source some variation is fine. To introduce the plate to them I'd get the plate warmed up, take away the lamp, and just tuck the chicks under it so they learn that's a warm spot. After that they should figure out to go under when they want it.

I've never used medicated feed so can't answer that.

I'd say chicks past 2 weeks are "out of the woods" - they should not be having pasty butt at that point, and any failure to thrive cases should be obvious by then. We only name chicks once they reach 2 weeks old.