Brooder - Size and covering for base.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

yet another question, Ive now divided my six chicks up into two boxes, all are approx 1 week old now so I have 3 small bantams and in the other 3 LF, I am amased at how much waste these little things produce !!!! and clean them out twice a day, I obviosuly want to keep them in the very best conditions possible but I've noticed that no matter how much I try they seem to be getting a little dirty here and there lying in their own waste etc.

Basically what free space area does each chick require, i.e how big should the base of the brooder be for their age and based on the fact theres only three in each I want to ensure there not cramped to start with, and what floor covering is the best? Im using a plastic type of non slip washable mat at the minute (Obtained off ebay) but obviosuly absorbancy is not at its best. Need to urgently deal with the situation so any advice would be great.

 

[foxy]

You might find this article useful, there a few more on rearing that might help for starters!

http://poultrykeeper.com/chickens/rearing-chicks/rearing-chicks.html

Basically a sturdy box, cardboard or one of those large plastic storage boxes from B&Q will be fine (the largest ones with wheels 45cm x 75cms). You can also buy large hamster/rodent cages from pet shops or second hand shops quite cheaply too I have seen some huge ones in one of the Wyevale garden centres.

I use good quality wood shavings, the sort sold in small bales for hamsters etc in pet shops. This will keep them much cleaner and prevent them muck stuck to their young feet too.

I was wondering why they are separated? If they are the same age it might be better ( and easier!) to keep the two groups together, especially as they start to get older.

 

[chrismahon]

We take ours off kitchen roll and on to kiln dried sand (builders merchant for bedding block paving) over newspaper after a week. We sieve it out to remove the poos and change it completely every week or so. The smelly sand gets scattered over the lawn as it helps drainage. We found wood shavings get blown all over the place as they attempt to fly -in the water and food. But chicks are messy anyway.
Easiest if you keep chicks together as you only need one heater, one drinker and one feeder. Would say each chick at that age had 100 square centimetres. Gave them a progressively larger box until at 6 weeks 8 had an area of 1 metre by 60 centimetres (too small actually). After 6 weeks they went to rearers which are 1600x 800 and at 10 weeks went into their final run -30 square metres with two other hatches (24 birds). That was to small by 20 weeks and they ended up with 12 in it (built another run) and now there are 8 (sold some) with plenty of room.

 

[Anonymous]

OMG !!! What have I done, any further comments on development/ work in progress !!! Ive rushed out after advice by foxy and bought some wood shavings for poultry , yew tree apparenty 100% RECYCLED and non toxic. Have used the original non slip matting underneath for stability and placed shavings over the top.... they have gone wild, theve turned into dogs!!! they have dug and flicked it everywhere, the water supply was non eistant after about 2mins... ive included two pictures to show how much space they have, one in plastic container (LF) and the other in box (bantams), i thought id separte them due to restriction in living area and the bigger LF bullying the smaller lavenders.

Its worse than having children !!!

Alll advice and construtive critisism appreciated..

Kind Regards to all....

 

[Anonymous]

There eating It ????? !!!

 

[tygrysek75]

Hi,do not panic,at least they can start acting like chickens .I had foud that this water container is always get messy no matter what type of bedding you will have.I had 2 broods rised on sand without any problems,but then I have got a green Legged Pertridge Fowl and they been so greedy with food that had eaten alot of sand and 2 of them had a hard time to poo and became so constipated.(long story).So for them i had used wood shawings.Try to rise water on sturdy wooden block with anislip mat under water container.Personally I had used a tit watering bottle hung on the side cardbox as this had kept water clean.I had egsackly same feeder and also raised a bit.With the feeder if any bedding got in I jus topened outside and blowed out any debris as feed is heavier and stays inside,few shaked and blowing and the feed is clean.Try to keep them together even if they peck a little it will stop very quickly.Put them in completly new box as they bekome terrytorial and best to put them at night when not as active so by the morning will all smell thesame.I hope this is helpfull.I agree with foxy that they should be together.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks tygrysek75 ive raised the water a little which seems to be helping, feeders seem unaffected. Have seen a 150l plastic box today which is huge so I think i will purchase and put them all back together with same set-sup, but with one light.

 

[tygrysek75]

feeders seem unaffected.

Not yet, but they will soon start to scratch.I had tend to change the box for them for bigger size when need had arised.Some start to jump out when they 2 weeks old,so I have been using an oven racks to put on top of the boxes(you can use some sort of netting)resting on the bamboo sticks as by this time box got really big.I love rearing small chicks missing little chirpers already :lol: