Size of brooder

[ChickenNP]

I have 6 baby chicks coming - 3 orpingtons and 3 australorps. I am afraid my brooder may be too large? I bought a 6ft x 2 ft stock tank and I have a heat plate.
The brooder will be on my screened in secure back porch and I have tarps hung along the one wall of the porch just to protect from any wind or rain that sometimes comes in from that side. And the brooder is as far away from the screened walls and up against the actual house wall.

Should I get another heat plate? Should I augment with a heat lamp? Worried the brooder is too large at least initially? But I was trying to use one brooder the whole time until they go into the coop.

I live in SE coastal NC so our Falls are very mild (and winters really). Thanks for any information.

 

[kattabelly]

What are the actual temperatures they'll be in?

How big is the heat plate you have now?

What age are you planning on moving them out of the brooder? It's not too big for younger chicks but I'd be more worried about it being too small unless they won't be in there for long.

 

[Luna Mesa]

Your brooder is not too big. Most people fail on the side of having a brooder too small. For 6 babies you will be fine. Where do you plan to go after a few weeks? They wont' be full feathered and will start getting crowded. Do you have other chickens in your coop. Maybe your heat lamp should go in the coop. Bedding? squeege sand or #9 gravel is the best.

 

[The Moonshiner]

The only reason it could be a problem is if they seem to have trouble finding their heat source.
You could always cut a piece of cardboard and tape it inside to block off access to part of it until I get bigger.
I can't imagine an issue lasting more than the first few days to a week.

 

[Luna Mesa]

The only reason it could be a problem is if they seem to have trouble finding their heat source.
You could always cut a piece of cardboard and tape it inside to block off access to part of it until I get bigger.
I can't imagine an issue lasting more than the first few days to a week.

That's a good point is the tank square or round or oval. Some cardboard for a couple of days is good idea.

 

[The Moonshiner]

That's a good point is the tank square or round or oval. Some cardboard for a couple of days is good idea.

OP said its a 2' X 6' stock tank. If the brooder plate is at one end the chicks could easily be 5 ft away. That's a good little distance for tiny little new legs.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I put chicks straight from my incubator or the post office into my 3' x 6' brooder outside in the coop even when the temperature outside were below freezing. I've never had a problem with them finding the warm spot. If you elect to add barriers to keep them close to the heat make sure they can't get past it and wind up blocked from being able to get back to the heat.

To me it sounds like you have a great set-up. I cannot imagine any heat plate to not be big enough for 6 chicks.