BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[cabincrazyone]

Newbie question ....

I've read a lot of stuff about building and maintaining brooders, and can't find an answer to a basic question ....... if most home made brooders are heated with heat lamps, and if heat lamps also put out light, how do you give the little ones darkness AND warmth at night?

 

[Lifesong Farm]

Quote:
That is where a red light comes in handy. Or cover your light with some red celophane.

 

[marquisella]

Quote:
That is where a red light comes in handy. Or cover your light with some red celophane.

I just use 90 watt regular light bulbs. I made a 3 tiered brooder out of a shelf.

I wrapped the shelf unit in hardward cloth, attached a light or 2 , then wrap the whole unit with a canvas tarp.

I keep it in an unheated barn in central NY. The unit is 18 inches deep by 5 feet wide.

I leave the lights on all the time for heat. They just close their eyes & sleep when they need it.

In these pictures, the tarp is open so you can see the shelves. I use plastic clamps to hang the tarps from the top shelf & close the tarps where the door are, so I can open the tarps just wide enough to let me open the doors to feed, etc.
As the weather warms up, I slowly open the tarps to let in fresh air.

I've used this shelf for 4 years now, and have had temps go down to -20 at night & the chicks were fine. I keep the waterers close to the lights so they don't freeze.

If I had to do it over a gain, and was younger, I would build shelves attached to the wall, not make them so wide, maybe 4 feet, because I can hardly reach to the sides when I want to catch the chicks to move them out.

I would also have each shelf with their own "curtains" instead one tarp for the whole unit so I can adjust them to accomodate the different ages of the chicks.

SUE

 

[chicken-owner-31]

My brooder was updated from a playpen to this:

It's an oversized shipping box, cut holes in the side and top, covered in hardware cloth on the side (we have cats) and chicken wire on the top. It's just barely big enough for my 30 7 week old bantams, but they are going outside next week.

It currently sits in my kitchen, but will be outside in the shed when warmer weather comes.

 

[cabincrazyone]

Quote:
OK. Am I correct in assuming that it's common practice for chicks in brooders to be in the light 24/7? I'm not trying to be a wise guy .... I'm thinking about how chickens (all animals) are affected by the length of the day.

How do they know when it's time to brush their teeth and say their prayers?

 

[madamwlf]

I use a red bulb for heat and natural light for day/night cycles.

 

[chicken-owner-31]

I left the light on (like motel 6, HA) for 24 hours until they were 6 weeks old, then I unplugged it at night. They are inside, so I think it's more a comfort thing for them than heat anymore. But they are going outside next week and I wanted them to be used to the dark.

 

[cabincrazyone]

Thank you all for the help.

Lifesong Farm and Madamwlf, thanks for the info on the red light. It can't get easier than having the red bulbed heat lamp on around the clock (subject to need) and a window for Mother Nature's version of day and night.

Thanks again.

 

[Lifesong Farm]

Cabincrazy I am sorry my post was so short. I had been sitting at an accident for 25 min and just as I was posting traffic finally started moving again.

 

[cabincrazyone]

Quote:
Don't worry about that. Just think how boring that traffic tie-up would have been without your blackberry.

I'll be looking for red bulbs or red cellophane ... I also want to look into the possibility of using a heating pad, as a lady in another thread suggested. I think it'll draw a lot of wattage, though.

Thanks again.