what are sighns of overcrowding?

[LittleChickenGirl2011]

I have my babies in a large box... i had 22 hatch, but only 13 are still alive.... Im worried that it might be due to overcrowding.... Im so new at this, and people around here offer no help...

what are some symptoms of overcrowding? (i have already had pasty butt *yuck!!!!* is this a result of it? )

 

[justbugged]

How large is your box? A large box may be okay for the first week, with that many chicks. But they grow very fast. That many will need a least 4 feet by 4 feet of space. that should hold them until the chicks are feathered out enough to go out side. The more space you can give them the better.

Signs of over crowding will be things like chicks dying, or the chicks picking on each other. If they are climbing on other chicks. Maybe others can add to the list. Chicks can and do get pasty butt even in uncrowded conditions. The chicks are not immune to bacteria until about 2 weeks old. So if even though things maybe clean,well ventilated, and not over crowded, they can still get pasty butt. The biggest precaution if to make sure your checking things out at least daily if not more often.

 

[SteveBaz]

One of the best ideas I have seen here is to go to an appliance store and pick up an appliance box. They have a huge foot print. Refers can be 4'X5' and breing in a box until 6 or 8 weeks in the winter I would say the bigger the better for that many chicks.

Signs of over crowding will be a ton of pecking and fighting. Chicks dying. Not enough food trays for them all to eat. The weak get pushed aside. Have more food available and water. Heat distributed evenly for all to get under.

 

[darin367]

from what i've seen on here, i've come to the conclusion that most chicks dying is caused by keeping them to warm.... i've got week old chicks running around outside at 50 degrees, and rain...they run under mom every 20-30 mins and warm up and then right back out into the weather... and they grow happy n healthy...... make sure your chicks can get away from the light/heat....

 

[LittleChickenGirl2011]

Quote:
they can, they always seem to die off the heat. i dont use a heat lamp, i use a heat pad just for that purpose, i dont like to force the heat on them.

 

[justafeedboy]

The first week birds need half a sq ft per bird, after a week 1 sq ft per bird is what is reccomended, however more room is always welcomed.

 

[SteveBaz]

Quote:
they can, they always seem to die off the heat. i dont use a heat lamp, i use a heat pad just for that purpose, i dont like to force the heat on them.

Week 1 85* degrees , week 2 80* degrees ,week 3 75* degrees ,week 4 70* degrees ,week 5 65* degrees , and until fully feathered to the last bird. I would not use a heat pad as the sole source for heat at that age. The heat pad is a under the body heat and the lamp is a ambient heater for the air around them. This could be the reason for the deaths of 10 chicks is they could not get to the heat on the pad and the other birds were pushing or crowding them off it. Sorry

By not keeping them warm like a mommy hen would they died. You are the mommy hen not and must provide for them as much or more than mommy does for them!!

 

[Uniontown Poultry]

If you lost your chicks to cannibalism by the remaining chicks, then I'd say overcrowding was the cause. I know a breeder who overcrowds her chicks all the time, and she always ends up with a few casualties to picking and/or cannibalism. Look to other environmental factors for the cause of your chick loss.

 

[berkeleyjack]

I've been using the nesting part of my coop as my brooding box, and I'm a little worried about overcrowding as well.
No real problems yet, but as my girls are getting bigger I'm getting a little concerned.

How old should they be before I let them out into the run? Temperatures here are highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 50s.

 

[SteveBaz]

Quote:
How old?
how many?
how much space?
3 cuft per bird I was told and now I understand that as 1 week old or 3 week old they are small and require way less space than a older chick but when they approach the 7+ weeks something happens and they start getting big real quick and that's where the mistake is made. They need more room per bird and when you put 25 20 week old birds in a 4'X4' brooder and drop the pop door you have crowding issues and they have no where to go!!