Suggestions for a Chick Pen (Up to 4 Weeks Old) – Newbie Teacher Here!

[TheLearningRoost]

Hi everyone!

I'm a teacher diving into the world of backyard chickens for the first time, and I’m looking for some advice from the pros. I’m planning to raise a few chicks and want to make sure I set up a safe, comfortable brooder/pen for them from hatch up to 4 weeks old.

I’d love to hear your suggestions or see photos of your setups! I'm especially interested in:

• Pen size recommendations for possibly 10 chicks (although one egg we received cracked so it probably won't make it)
• Best materials (DIY or store-bought)
• Tips for warmth, safety, and cleanliness
• What to avoid (I’m sure there are some rookie mistakes to skip!)

Thanks in advance for your wisdom—excited to join the flock!

 

[Yardfulla poopers]

My brooder is built beneath my poop board in my coop. I love, love, love the mama heating pad method. I have seven chicks in right now but am planning on moving them this weekend as they are 5 weeks and have outgrown this brooder (approximately 16 sq feet). If you are brooding indoors, the construction materials really don't matter ( my first brood was 10 chicks in a large cooler in the garage until they were big enough to stay in cheap construction fencing, still in the garage until 8 weeks when they went to the coop). If you brood outdoors as I now do, it MUST be hardware fabric to keep all the bad things out.
I really wanted to build an outdoor run with this brood but couldn't get to it so I'm having to move them to another pen with a small coop (my introduction pen) and then will be moving them back to the main coop at 10-12 weeks. I wait until they are bigger to let them free range with the rest of the flock for two reasons. 1-rooster. 2-outdoor cat who right now thinks they are robins but will let them be once they are more chicken sized.
For safety, make sure there is nothing they can get stuck in (use chick feeders and drinkers, not bigger ones, they can get stuck in and and drown in adult drinkers). Make sure any tiny space they might get caught in is filled until they are bigger. For example I put a round dust bath in a square space and made sure I stuffed the spaces around the bath with rags.
There's so much to brooding! Nest of luck!