Brooder in Finished Basement

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waddles99

waddles99

Songster
8 Years
Jun 22, 2013
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Is it possible to have a brooder in a finished basement? I know that there are dangers of doing so because of smell, feather dander and clean up. But are these really things to worry about? I am thinking if you cover the surfaces and clean up well afterward it is a better environment than in an unheated barn. And you can monitor them more closely, they are more easy to care for when they are in your house. The brooder would be 10 x 6 for 30 chicks.
 
Lots of people have their brooders in their house. As long as you clean it regularly it shouldn't be a problem. I raised 4 chicks in a plastic tote in my dining room. We have never used it for eating meals anyway. I had to be vigilant about keeping it clean so it wouldn't smell. We loved sitting in the den and being able to hear them cheeping. I was ready to move them outside once they feathered out though. They required more cleaning as they got older. Also make sure that anyone who might play with the chicks knows to wash their hands as soon as they are done so you don't get germs from the poop spread around your house.
 
I have a barn but I just don't know if it would be the best for them…i wouldn't be able to check on them as much and it would be harder to maintain a high temperature.
 
waddles99 said:
I have a barn but I just don't know if it would be the best for them…i wouldn't be able to check on them as much and it would be harder to maintain a high temperature.
Click to expand...
They don't require a high temp in their entire brooder. They just need one area where they can go to warm up when they start to get chilly. Just as if they were running under mama hen for a warm up before running back out to play. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be fine in your basement though. Just be aware that chicks in a brooder will produce greater volumes of dust than you can imagine.
sickbyc.gif
 
x2! You have no idea how much dust and humidity is involved with 30 chicks! You air quality (dust pollution) and ambient humidity levels will astound you. Ask me how I know; we had moisture dripping off window frames and a dust bowl. Once, never again. Mary
 
I agree. We raised several hatches on the front finished porch. Never again.
The dust is everywhere when they shed the down. And the smell.
sickbyc.gif
They are birds after all.
Just buy a sweeter heater and make a small place for them in the barn.
http://www.sweeterheater.com/
Best,
Karen
 
30 chicks---no way. I'm in the 'never brood in the house again' camp. My broody hens raise chicks outside and they're plenty warm. I brood in an unheated barn and they do great. I use a large galvanized stock tank with a red heat lamp at one end. The lamp is just at the level of the top of the tank. This gives them a nice warm area to cozy up, and the rest of the brooder is ambient temp so the chicks don't get overheated. I think far more brooder chicks die of being overheated than being too cool. Folks underestimate how tough a baby chick really is. After 2-3 days old, they spend lots of time out from under momma, no matter the temp. I try to mimic that (the ecoglow does a great job, in case anyone reading this wants to buy me a holiday present
wink.png
) and my chicks feather out nicely and are hardy.
 
3riverschick said:
I agree. We raised several hatches on the front finished porch. Never again.
The dust is everywhere when they shed the down. And the smell.
sickbyc.gif
They are birds after all.
Just buy a sweeter heater and make a small place for them in the barn.
http://www.sweeterheater.com/
Best,
Karen
Click to expand...

Ooooo. I may have to get one of these so I can put it in the coop and get them OUT of my house.
 

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