Keep them separated?

[Buckhowdy]

I have eight 10 day old Rhode Island Reds and ten 3 day old Barred Rocks. My brooder is 2 feet by 4 feet. I've got them separated with 1/2 inch hardware cloth dividing the brooder into two compartments. Is this necessary for chicks? When can I pull out the divider? The 3 day old Barred Rocks are really going to town in there scratching up a storm (they crack me up). They make the Reds seem pretty sedate!

 

[donrae]

I've had fine luck combining birds of these ages. It's so much easier to do it when they're younger, before they start worrying bout who is the boss of who. I say pull the divider and let them mingle. Your brooder is plenty large enough for now.

 

[Buckhowdy]

Thanks for the tip. I pulled the divider. The gang of eight red chicks rushed the gang of ten black bard rocks. But they were bluffing. Nothing happened, just the normal stuff. I looked in later and some were sleeping together and some where eating together. Peace broke out in the brooder! No problems so far. I seems that the red chicks prefer to eat from the feeder on what was the black chicks side though.

 

[abgraves69]

Your post title reminds me of the Offspring song. Lol

 

[cafarmgirl]

18 chicks in only 8 square feet are going to grow out of their space really, really fast. I'd be working on a bigger brooder asap so things don't become un-peacefull between the age groups lol!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

18 chicks in only 8 square feet are going to grow out of their space really, really fast. I'd be working on a bigger brooder asap so things don't become un-peacefull between the age groups lol!

2X

 

[nayeli]

We had some day olds with over a week olds for a short period and it was fine.. but the youngsters outnumbered the older chicks by over 4 to 1. I don't like combining birds unless they are similar size.

 

[Buckhowdy]

This is my first flock. I didn't know they would grow so fast. Okay I've heard 4 square feet per bird in the coop, and 10 square feet per bird in the run but I haven't heard of a figure for birds in the brooder. How much space for a bird on the last day in the brooder (largest chicks in a brooder)? I don't know how big the brooder should be but I was thinking the next one would use one 4X8 sheet of plywood for the floor with 2 foot high walls. Is there a specification for brooder space?

 

[Buckhowdy]

Hi Heres what I found on the forum
"Generally speaking.
From hatch to about two weeks one-half square foot per bird.
From two weeks to a month about one square foot.
One month to two months about two square feet.
.....Alan."
You should see the mess they made of the dirt clod. It doesn't even exist any more. They ate the raspberries too. Tomorrow I am going to give them a lily flower to check out and make the little ones a roost out of limbs. Will see what they can do.

Found this in the brooder pic thread. "I think we need a bigger boat".