Suggestions for integrating chickens with my setup

[aart]

Think that would be ideal for about 10 chicks?

It would be better for sure at twice the size, and maybe 'ideal' for about 2 weeks...
...then they'll outgrow it.
I'd add at least one mesh side for ventilation....and so you can observe them at chick height level.


Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:
They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
-If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
-If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
-If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. If you do use a heat bulb make sure it's specifically for poultry, some heat bulbs for food have teflon coatings that can kill birds. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.


Or you could go with a heat plate, commercially made or DIY: http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate

 

[Toothpick]

What size brooder would you recommend then?

 

[rosemarythyme]

So to summarize -
* move small coop in to the large run
* put chicks in it when they are feathered (?)
* put lots of hiding places around the coop and areas where only the small chicks can get in
* turn chicks loose and supervise

Sound about right?

Sounds about right though before I "turn chicks loose" I'd make sure that the hens were well used to seeing them and no longer reacting to the sight of them or hanging around the small coop and harassing them. It'll take a week or possibly two.

As far as your brooder space, 2.8'x4' may be enough to get them to 4 weeks, but would definitely be tight by the end. But since the plan is to move them out at around that time I don't know how much extra work I'd put into the brooder, unless you're planning to brood chicks frequently. I gave my chicks about 2 sq ft per chick, but that can get really big when you're talking about more than just 3 or 4 chicks.

 

[aart]

What size brooder would you recommend then?

I'd do this under your poop board.

Might think about building a brooder area in the coop...
...and use a heating pad for a
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate.67729/

 

[Toothpick]

Under the poop board would take care of the integration aspect too.

Ya’ll have giving me something to think about!

Thanks!

 

[aart]

Under the poop board would take care of the integration aspect too.

Exactly!
You just need a safer heater.
There are a couple of great builds here of mesh panels, with hinged doors in them for tending chicks, put under poop boards for brooding chicks that can be removed after integration is complete.

 

[Toothpick]

Hatched a chick in the coop but had to take it out. The other hens were trying to get at it. So I put it in the brooder and it likes the home I made haha.

Temp gun is reading roughly 98 degrees. Plenty of cooler areas.

And got an incubator today from tractor supply. Now the fun begins!

Thanks for the tips here everyone. Time to get to work!

 

[aart]

What's with the box in brooder?
Newspaper can be slippery and cause leg injuries,
might want to put down paper towels over newspaper.

 

[Toothpick]

Just put it in there to give the chick somewhere to go. It sleeps inside so it likes it. I’ve used newspaper for years, so has my mom. I even remember it being used when I was a kid for the brooder, which was just a cardboard box. Don’t recall any leg injuries. Not saying it can’t happen, just saying I’ve never had one and newspaper is free.