Size for brooder?

[Nicole01]

I use our xl dog kennel. I put the lamp inside and cover the entire kennel with a blanket for the first 3 weeks. Once they've grown their feathers, they move to the coop inside the kennel until their grown full size. This works great for integration!

In the coop

 

[ONSTAD1]

I hope you secured that heatlamp with something more than only the clamp.  These clamps have a nasty habit of failing and the lamp falling and causing a fire.  At the very least, secure it with some zipties so that it cannot slide or fall down on the shavings.

but i'm paranoid like that.

It's attached with 4 3" screws... and the base is 2.5'x2.5'...it's not going anywhere : )

 

[RonC]

Onstad1 won't have problems of them not knowing where to go at night to roost when the time comes. Eggcelent idea brooding in the coop. I ran a wood screw through the oval area in the clamp of the light leaving about 1/2 inch sticking out to keep my light from falling. Place it near the top of the loop and it will leave plenty of adjustment to raise it as the weeks go by. Onstad1 I bet they have a heck of a time getting on that roost right now lol. Icammack you'll need a lid for your brooder soon. First feathers they get are their wings and they immediately start trying them out. Unless you want to build a couple of brooders go ahead and make it as big as practical. Mine was 2x4 feet and 18 inches deep with 6 chicks, seemed huge when they were a week old. By 4 weeks it was starting to get over crowded and time for them to go outside or build something bigger. With the weather most of us are having they will be able to go out soon anyways. Might have to put A/C in the coop or have broiled chickens.

 

[AlienChick]

I used the corner of my garden shed to build a small pen.
I also screened in one of the shelves to house chicks there.
You can never have too many pens!

And it's summer, so I don't have to worry about using heat lamps!

 

[CAjerseychick]

A large cardboard box will suffice till they outgrow it.
Just use whatever you have on hand.
Rubbermaid tubs are good.
I use a kiddie pool filled with TSC pine shavings.
For the first day I cover the shavings with paper towels because I want to inspect their poop to make sure all is well.
Remember that no matter what you use for a brooder, there will be quite a bit of space taken up by food/waterer.

Congrats on your upcoming chicks!

Is that an eco glow? What kind of heating unit is that?

 

[AlienChick]

Yes, that's an EcoGlow unit.
The chicks love 'em!

 

[RonC]

Read an article from Purina and was going to link it but can't find it again. They recomend 1-2 sq ft per chick till 4 weeks I think it said.

 

[Panth]

If you have room, I highly suggest the kiddie pool idea. I have used several different brooders over the years from a cardboard box to a dog crate, but the easiest by far to clean or handle the chicks in has been a kiddie pool.

 

[CAjerseychick]

If you have room, I highly suggest the kiddie pool idea. I have used several different brooders over the years from a cardboard box to a dog crate, but the easiest by far to clean or handle the chicks in has been a kiddie pool.

Anyone tried cutting out the bottom of the kiddie pool so they could stand on grass and forage alittle....?

 

[Panth]

nah, one of the reasons I love the pool is because I can clean the chips out so easily and they can't kick them out onto the floor. I put my chicks outside on the grass in a chickenwire wrapped dogcrate for several hours each day when they get about a week old and they go out to the adult coop at 3 weeks.