Size of brooder for 8 chicks?

[vjbakke]

What size brooder should I start with? I have an old rabbit hutch that they will be going into after they are a little older. They are coming next week!

 

[sumi]

This is the recommended brooder space allowance per chick:


up to 2 weeks: 0.5 sq ft per chick
2-4 weeks: 1 sq ft per chick
4-8 weeks: 2.5 sq ft per chick
over 8 weeks: 4 sq ft per chick

The closer you can get to that the better. Enjoy your chicks!

 

[SobbaChickens]

My girls were in a larger size plastic tote inside for the first 2 weeks and then they went into a large wire dog crate in the garage. They stayed in that most of the time until they were around a month old. Then I built a play pen and they started spending their days outside in that. Because I had a lot of difficulties with my carpenter I've only had a coop for about a week and a half now. My girls where around 11-12wks before they got out of the brooder for good. They spent the entire day outside in a big dog kennel and went back into the brooder for sleep. Were they cramped? Heck yeah, but it worked. They never ever got sick or picked on themselves or each other. So there are standards but just wanting to let you know what worked for us.