I never did a brooder, I used the entire coop as a brooder and it has worked out well so far, my birds have 4.5 sq ft each, I had small structures in there for them to climb on to build there balance up, I lost a few but came to the conclusion it was a attempt to give them water from the gutter rather than hauling water from the house, proved to be fatal for quite a few chicks. Only thing I changed in there environment and the deaths were all within 3 days of water change, I changed back to house water and never had a issue since. All my chicks are extremely happy and healthy, I had a 250w heat lamp on 24/7 which they would lay under when they needed it, the oldest birds are 3 weeks and 3 days old and the youngest are 2 weeks old, majority of the flock can fly up to the top of a bail of straw on its side and down without problem and a few can get on the second rung of the perch already 2 1/2 to 3ft high. There growing at a very fast rate. The last 4-5 days they haven't been using the heat lamp during the day or night so I put it on a timer to be on only when it's dark outside and put a smaller bulb in also to save on electric. I have 22 more on there way sept 9th from McMurry hatchery, that's were all but 9 of my 22 left came from, I liked there chicks so much I ordered 22 more to have a total flock of 45 after they send the free bird. I have one 10x20 coop but it has two rooms divided by a door which I recently opened to the first 22 and will shut to start the next group, when the new chicks are 2-3 weeks old I will let the flock mingle, there's too much of a size gap now, if I lower the feeder and waterer so the new borns can reach it the older ones will scratch it all out on the floor in no time. So I will start the new chicks same as I did with the current chicks on a troth feeder, a round feeder with a quart jar and two one gal waterers and heat 24/7.
