5'x5'x2.5' for 8 chicks (the pvc was 5', and I saw no reason to make it smaller than that.) Have a brooder plate, but I know from experience that it will be too small for all of them come 3 weeks, and per manufacturer's instructions, it needs more ambient warmth than I'll have (I may just have to get an actual space heater to put right outside the enclosure - too big a fire hazard inside. I'm not touching heat lamps.) Was going to put second heater near the plate. A cozy coop heater is basically an upright 200W MHP. Have half of the enclosure covered with a shade cloth for day time heat maintenance, will need to cover other side to prevent chicks getting out at around 4 weeks or so (I have landscape cloth?)
The light colored thing is a piece of closed cell foam. It was mostly in there so my daughter stopped using it as a slide, but it was warmer than sitting on the floor, so I left it.
I'm thinking I'll be best off with bringing it inside until they are at least 3 weeks. Would this set up work for 3-6 week olds? (We get down to the low 20s, and this is in a non-heated garage.) I can add further cardboard siding for insulation, maybe put a plastic nest box in there, bricks near the heater to maintain ambient heat (someone suggested under the brooder plate)...
