Quick!

[Saltiena]

We are soon (10 min) going shopping for materials for a brooder and i need to know how much space i would need for 25 chicks

i also have a less ugernt question, i plan on free ranging my chickens, i would also like to make a small fenced in area though and need to know how big to make that, i heard 4 square ft per bird but would i really need that much if there goung to be roaming most of the time, the fenced area is just for when they are in the coop over night, the door is sorda like a cat door they can go in to the fenced in area when ever they want, does it really need to bee that big?

 

[wynedot55]

you need from 6sq in pre chick to start with.go to like wal-mart an get you like 3 of the biggest plactic storage bins you can get to brood the chicks in.25 will fitt in 1 for 2 or 3wks.or untill it gets crowded in there.then split them up to other brooders or put emm in henhouse.

 

[4H kids and mom]

I raised my 27 chicks to 4 weeks old in a large refridgerator box with chicken wire over the top. Worked just fine for me, and gave me time to finish the details in their coop. You dont need to buy anything fancy to brood them in. You DO need chicker starter feed (either medicated or not. Be sure NOT to use the medicated if you had your chicks vaccinated for Cocci as it will nulify- cancel out -the vaccine.), fresh water, dry bedding, and a warm lamp to keep a steady temp of roughly 90 degrees for the first week of their life, and then lower the temp by 5 degrees every week until they feather out, or reach 'room' temp (about 70 degrees). Make sure there is good ventilation, because as I found out, they kick up ALOT of dust and it settles everywhere near the brooder. Dont put a solid lid on the brooder because if they breath this dust in all the time they can get respitory infections.