questions about Brooding OEGBs

[rittert3]

I plan on getting a trio of OEs in april and plan on setting 7 eggs a week (I have a freind that sets his eggs as they are laid but figured setting weekly would keep things in better order yet keep my fertility and flow of hatching peeps up) so figuring they will lay about 9 eggs a week i think i will be able to set 7. I figured on about an 80% hatch rate giving me 5-6 chicks a week and I will sell all my chicks the 3rd sat. of each month, so if I lose 1 chick out of each hatch this will put me at about 20 chicks in the brooder at any given time. I want to make a brooder using a sterilite container and hail screen but need to know how big it needs to be I am also using the mason jar type feeders/ waterers should I have 1 or 2 of each? And I also wanted to see if anybody had any experience with varying ages in the same brooder. If I need to I think I have a second heat lamp some where and a 10gal aquarium I could put my chicks in for the first few days until they can co-exist with the chicks that are a couple weeks older. Last but not least am I crazy? lol joke

 

[chickenlover54]

I wanted to let you know that OE are horrible layers. Mine lay in cycles, in a month they lay about 7 eggs at the most(so they lay for 1 week and then stop for three and it is a cycle) If you get 9 eggs in a week you are the luckiest person in the world. Oh and nothing goes that smoothly LOL, we can all dream tho.

 

[Gonzo]

Well, I used a big storage bin last spring for about 25 chicks. I'm thinking it's a 50 gallon. I used one red heat lamp, and had to put 2 feeders in there so everyone got to eat. I would just make sure they have plenty of room, and room to grow. I would'nt keep chicks of an older age with chicks that are 1 or 2 weeks old, they could easily be trampled. hope this helps you out some.

 

[TinyBirds]

We use big plastic bins for brooding. I would put max 6 in each, to avoid them pecking each other. Get more bins as needed, sometimes on sale $6 each at target.

R u crazy? Yes, but most of us are! So you're not alone....