Working Full Time and Baby Chicks - Doable?

[fuzzi]

Very helpful responses, thank you all.

I haven't gotten a brooder yet. I have some clear plastic totes, but they aren't big enough, 20x13x13. I also have a 29 gallon aquarium I'm not using, 12x30x18" high. That might work for a week or so.

I was eyeing the pumpkin/melon display at Aldi's yesterday.

 

[3KillerBs]

Dog crate too small? It's 3'x2'x2'.

The size is OK for a few chicks, but since you'll be at work and can't monitor them closely, you need the extra length that was mentioned earlier to make it possible to have a warm end and a cool end.

 

[3KillerBs]

May I make another suggestion? Since you said you don't have the coop built yet, prioritize building that first, then brood the chicks inside there. It'll give you more space to work with, and acclimates the chicks to being outside as well at the same time.

I agree.

Brooding outdoors has so many advantages -- as long as you can assure sufficient heat.

I use a brooder plate now in warm weather and a brooder plate with a backup heat lamp in cold weather because most brooder plates are not rated to use in temperatures below 50F (though my Producer's Pride plate has been good down into the 40's with chicks a few weeks old).

I set up the Big Red Bulb so that it keeps the area around the plate over 50F and keeps the water thawed and the plate keeps the chicks warm.

My brooder is huge: Run to Outdoor Brooder Conversion I close off half of it for the first week or so to keep them from getting lost away from food, water, and heat.

 

[ChicFil- A]

I'm currently working full time, leaving the house about 6:00 am and getting home about 4:30pm.

I don't expect any assistance from family with raising day-old chicks until they graduate to the coop.

Can it be done? And without buying expensive equipment?

Other aspects of the situation:
1. No current hens to brood for me
2. No one in the household to watch chicks for me
3. Chicken pen and coop construction will start in the next couple weeks

Or should I just pay the big money to order pullets?

Suggestions would be appreciated.

Note: I did hatch and brood chicks before but it was 30+ years ago, and I was only working part time.

Thanks.

Hello

Temperature is the most time sensitive element. Chicks that get too hot can die quickly.

For that situation, I would make sure the brooder is quite oversized, and longer than it is wide. Put the heat at one end and leave the other for a cool end.

They have thermometers on Amzn that can send the data to your phone and even set alarms, that might be really handy and reassuring, you could call someone to handle a problem, or if the heat goes out or there was a fire you would know.


It probably goes without saying that you would want to make certain they are secure from predators, including dogs, since you won't be there to intervene.
Another reason the brooder build is essential. I've brooded in all sorts of things but the more "temporary" the setup the more you need to check it and fiddle with it.

The next biggest thing is how chicks mess with their water. Stuffing it with shavings and knocking it over because they want to fly on top.
I would do 2 water sources, in different spots, in case they get to playing in one. Also raise them up, just a few inches to start but higher as they grow. I feel like I spend half the time raising chicks on fiddling with the position of their water to hit the right balance between adjusting for their naughtiness and making sure they can reach it. Sturdy blocks help.

Food is easy as long as you use a chick feeder with the holes so they can't kick or bill feed out. For some reason the long ones work better in that regard for me than the round ones.
An amprolium medicated feed is a good idea so you don't have the headache of worrying about cocci.

And if it were me, I would keep as many things standard as possible to eliminate weird variables that you won't be able to monitor.
Such as: Do use flaked pine shavings for bedding, don't add a bunch of additives to the water, avoid toys or anything they could get trapped in, avoid treats.

I think this can work out well, wishing you success!

SourRoses said everything I wanted to say, If you follow her guidelines you’ll do fine, as mentioned the warmth and water is most important, it’s amazing how mischievous these little creatures are. The journey is worthwhile and now with the price of eggs and supply chain problems it’s well worth the time.

 

[fuzzi]

brinsea scratch & dents

Thanks @alwaystj9! I found and ordered one, it arrived yesterday: EcoGlow Safety 600.

I just plugged it in, and the heat radiating was warmer than my hand, though not a lot warmer...maybe 99°?

 

[fuzzi]

Woo!

I found a hatchery about an hour's drive from me that hatch Sussex bantams.

Yesterday I got an email reply to inform me that they are expecting a hatch next week.

I let them know that I am interested, yes!

The hoop coop is almost done, and I have to create a brooder, so much to do in a week!

Thanks for all the encouragement and suggestions.

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

I picked up ten chicks on Thursday!
View attachment 3423149

Outdoor brooder, so far no issues:
View attachment 3423153

I took vacation Thursday and Friday to monitor my new charges, make sure they were doing okay. And then I was off on the weekend as well.

But tomorrow I go back to work, leaving before dawn, so I won't see my chicks until late afternoon.

I'm going to miss visiting with them.
View attachment 3423155

I am in your situation currently. 32 chicks in their 10x10 coop brooding it up lol.

I do a morning check at abt 330 before leaving for work, turn their lights on, lock up and then I come home on my 30 min lunch and check them over quickly fill food and/or water if necessary, then I spend all the time after work with them lol...

My husband will go out and open the doors on the days I am not home (we work opposite days) but their care is mine (which i prefer), hence why I do a lunch check lol

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

I have an open-air hoop coop, so they're staying in the brooder with the heating pad until the weather warms up more and they feather out.

Mine are bantams, so I can keep them in the smaller brooder a little longer.

These guys are growing so fast. I lost a few to smothering so at the suggestion of another BYCer ...I moved them to the coop floor.

I wish the brooder I had worked longer. I really thought it would. I brooded 20 chicks in a plastic tote last yr with 1 loss. This yr bigger brooder but more chicks...6 losses

 

[NagemTX]

Mine will get a large hard plastic pool for the first two weeks. The largest you can gat at Walmart. At about two weeks they can usually get out on their own so the pool gets removed. They have half of the 24ft long hoop coop to roam and once they are four weeks will have the whole thing. My bro and I dubbed it chicke fort Knox.

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

I'm currently working full time, leaving the house about 6:00 am and getting home about 4:30pm.

I don't expect any assistance from family with raising day-old chicks until they graduate to the coop.

Can it be done? And without buying expensive equipment?

Other aspects of the situation:
1. No current hens to brood for me
2. No one in the household to watch chicks for me
3. Chicken pen and coop construction will start in the next couple weeks

Or should I just pay the big money to order pullets?

Suggestions would be appreciated.

Note: I did hatch and brood chicks before but it was 30+ years ago, and I was only working part time.

Thanks.

Where do you plan to brood them, inside your house or outside in a pen/coop?