New chicks How long do I keep them in the brooder.

[New Momma]

By no means are we ready for them to be out of the brooder yet We are still working on the kinks in the chicken coop! Anyway We bought 6 red pullets from tractor supply Sadly 1 passed away but the others are alive and well. We assume when we got them they were at least 5 days old and now they should be about 1 weed and a half. They have their wing feathers in and have been transported to a bigger brooder than before but what I want to know is how long do we keep them in their brooder? It is sort of cold out right now actually its really cold out but u assume by the time summer comes around here in Texas which is in about a month for us LOL They would be out of the brooder. anyway How long is the standard brooder time?

 

[Judy]

The standard answer is, for to six weeks, til fully feathered. But a lot of people would put them in the coop at 3 weeks. Not sure where yours are, but I won't brood them in the house at all. They would be in a separate area in my coop with a heat lamp, and would probably not be interested in the heat lamp within a couple more weeks, or sooner, judging by past experience.

I like to share this thread, for those reluctant to brood outdoors, in case you are:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/735392/redneck-fungshui-brooding-17-degree-temperatures/0_20

 

[New Momma]

The standard answer is, for to six weeks, til fully feathered. But a lot of people would put them in the coop at 3 weeks. Not sure where yours are, but I won't brood them in the house at all. They would be in a separate area in my coop with a heat lamp, and would probably not be interested in the heat lamp within a couple more weeks, or sooner, judging by past experience.

I like to share this thread, for those reluctant to brood outdoors, in case you are:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/735392/redneck-fungshui-brooding-17-degree-temperatures/0_20

We have our brooders in the garage

 

[Spanishchick]

Thanks for posting this. I read two months which sounds crazy.

 

[Spanishchick]

How long do they need the warming light?? I read conflicting reports. I'm in zone 7. NW GA.
Thanks

 

[aropp87]

Our brooder is in our basement, we've been planning to move them to the coop when they're feathered...should I move the brooder outside and cover it with chicken wire to keep the stray cats out? Is it bad to brood inside?

 

[pipsypeach]

We are going to put our in the bathroom we never use. Planning on placing them in the tub and hanging the heat lamp from the shower curtain rod. Should I put any kind of pine shavings or hay in the bottom of the tub?

 

[New Momma]

Quote:
I would Put Pine shavings in the bottom for the chicks to Scratch in and keep their balance the bathtub might be sorta slippery as well as keep the chicks warm

 

[Judy]

I was checking a large hatchery's website this morning for something else, and noticed that they do not recommend brooding chicks in human living space. I was glad to see this, as it has been common to brood them in homes, even living rooms. Chicks make a huge amount of dust, from their fluff, the litter, and even dried poop. I decided some time ago I would never brood insoors again -- and the dust and particulates in the air were awful the one time I did it, even though it was in a spare bedroom with the door closed.

 

[lazy gardener]

I agree with you Flockwatcher. After my last experience, I said... NEVER AGAIN! And that was with 6 chicks in a rubber maid tote for less than 10 days, before I kicked them down to the basement in a "tractor-brooder" until they were ready to go out. It was horrible, and exacerbated by the fact that both I and my grand-dtr have asthma.