Space requirements for chicks

[aliprowl]

I'm expecting 13 babies in <2 weeks and am trying to find something big enough to put them in! Have read 1 sq ft per chick and 2 sq ft per chick; both numbers are much bigger than I imagined. 13-26 sq. ft - huge!! A friend has more than 13 in a big plastic horse trough, and they are doing fine with much less space than that. Realistically, and practically, must they have so much space?? If I get a refrigerator box, should I cut holes in it for ventilation? Second question: have read not to clamp light on brooder but to hang it over the brooder. How does one hang a light? What does it attach to? Thanks for any help you guys can offer!

 

[mylilchix]

If I remeber correctly, I think it's a half a sqaure foot per chick.

Sonja

 

[cool chicken]

one sqaure foot per chick

 

[azelgin]

Quote:
That'll usually keep 'em happy to 8 wks.

 

[conny63malies]

Well what kind of chicks? Light breed, heavy breed, broiler or bantam? I have three bantams in a plastic tub and they are very happy in it. But you couldnt fit three broiler chicks of the same age in it.

 

[aliprowl]

They are an "assorted" group: BO, Wyandottes, Australorps, Blue Cochins and 2 bantam Barred Rocks. I am assuming I could start out with, say, a washer/dryer box and then get something (I don't know what!) bigger in a couple of weeks? Other than building a brooder (not handy) or a refrigerator box, I'm not sure what could accomodate 11 standard chicks and 2 bantams. An acquaintance has a plastic horse trough and she has, like, 18 in there who are teenager looking, and they are climbing all over each other and seem very overcrowded. No one around here that I've seen, seems to literally have 1 or 2 s.f. of space per chick. Maybe I'll just move them to the coop & run a bit earlier? Like at 5 weeks?
again, thanks for the input...

 

[Judy]

Here is what I wrote down in my notebook: .5 sq ft/chick for 4 weeks then 0.75 sq ft per chick for four weeks. I'm sure I got it off BYC somewhere.

A refrigerator box would not need ventilation holes if the top is open, but it will need a screen or netting on top in a few weeks to keep them from flying out. You can buy a small roll of bird netting for $5 or so -- meant to keep birds off strawberry plants and the like.

I clamped my brooder light to a floor lamp then strung/fastened the cord so it would keep the lamp off the litter if the clamp failed. Lots of folks screw something in the ceiling and hang it from there. You NEED to have a backup system to hold the light out of the brooder if the clamp fails, because they do, and that of course means fire if it falls in the shavings.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
It would help if you put your location by your name; just the state (if you are in the US, obviously) would help a lot.

You can probably move them out a lot earlier than 5 weeks, esp. if you can get a brooder light to your coop. Some people put them out in the first week. Some don't even brood in the house. I won't do it again, or at least not for more than a few days while I set something up.

By the way...

 

[Judy]

Here is what I wrote down in my notebook: .5 sq ft/chick for 4 weeks then 0.75 sq ft per chick for four weeks. I'm sure I got it off BYC somewhere.

A refrigerator box would not need ventilation holes if the top is open, but it will need a screen or netting on top in a few weeks to keep them from flying out. You can buy a small roll of bird netting for $5 or so -- meant to keep birds off strawberry plants and the like.

I clamped my brooder light to a floor lamp then strung/fastened the cord so it would keep the lamp off the litter if the clamp failed. Lots of folks screw something in the ceiling and hang it from there. You NEED to have a backup system to hold the light out of the brooder if the clamp fails, because they do, and that of course means fire if it falls in the shavings.

 

[Judy]

oops, sorry about the double post.