BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[aart]

I have a brooder area that is about 2' 6" by 5'. I am hoping to use this for my smaller chicks but I am hoping to do batches of 10-20 chicks at a time. I know I need to raise them to about 8 weeks old before introducing them to the rest of my flock but I know they will need more space before that time so I am thinking of making a separate run and coop that runs along my current chicken run and coop so they can get acquainted though the fence. How much space is recommended for an 8 week old chick both inside the coop and in an outside run?

My first batch of chicks I got 24 chicks and they were ok in the smaller area until about 4 weeks old and then they seemed to be getting restless and like they wanted more room. I know I spoil my girls but I would rather them be happy and not picking on each other if possible. Plus I would like to let my hens brood out some chicks and don't want my mamas to get too restless in that small area for very long. For my main coop and run I used the rule of thumb of 4 sq ft inside the coop per chicken and 10 sq ft outside per chicken. Any size suggestions for the smaller coop and run?

Here is a picture of the small brooder (the little area under the bench):

As the chicks will need to pretty much full size before physically integrating them with the adult flock, I would use the same sq ft as you are comfortable with for your adult chickens.

 

[KrystalRose]

As the chicks will need to pretty much full size before physically integrating them with the adult flock, I would use the same sq ft as you are comfortable with for your adult chickens.

Well I plan to put the chicks in with the rest of the chickens when they are only 8 weeks old so they wont be full size only about half size.

 

[GreenDragon]

i made a second stage brooder to place in my coop it gave the chicks more room as well as letting them get use too the other hens. i have plans too add a small inclosed run in my pen so the chicks have there own safe space out side as well through there own door.

Edited to add this
there are pics ofmy second stage brooder in this topic

 

[Ctptcha]

Hello everyone!
I had several ideas about what to do for a brooder, then read someone's post about how they might use a dog crate ..... *ding!*..... we had a huge one in our garage I was about to list on craigslist! (FYI, it is 27" x 40" and we have 6 chicks) This was perfect for us, to protect the babies from our house dog and the two kids. I thought it might be useful for others to see how some of us have made a brooder and get some ideas, so I will start it out!


Here it is from the outside..... it is in our living room with the light mounted on the outside. As they have needed less heat I have slowly turned it to the left, lowering the temp each week.

Here is the inside. Thermometer is on the left (not in photo though!). Food and water are on a 4x4 post scrap to get it up a bit so they dont poop in it, or get shavings in it. We still wash out the water every day. It is also in the back so it stays cooler. I screwed in screws to hang the oak branch in there and they love it. The chick flapping is one of the two who are competing for the Queen of the Pecking Order. They fight for who is on the roost, and she is clearly telling the other one to get off! We use the deep litter method, and so need the bit of cardboard in the front to prevent shavings from coming out the front! We also stir it up everyday.

And here is our huge Lab protecting the babies.........actually, he is scared of them and backs away when we get them close to him, but he wants to look at them!

Can't wait to see everyone else's ideas!

I'm trying to make one too but I got a clamp lamp that never seems to stick. How did you stick that lamp on? Also, what wattage lamp do you have? Would a 75 watt light bulb work for 9 ducklings? Happy hatching!

 

[dustysmom1]

Hi, I live on craigslist looking for useful things to multipurpose into chicken related items. I caught a posting for some reptile cages, they are 4ft long 12 inches front to back and 10 inches tall. They are made of glass and have dividers in them so they are divided into 3 sections, but the dividers are removable. They had thermometers already on them and three access hatches in the tops over each section. I used them as the indoor housing for my newly hatched quail and they worked great until my quail were ready to be moved outside into a pen. I purchased four of these and have plans for using them as brooders if/when I do another hatch! (All four only cost me $40.00, I love craigslist. lol )

 

[aart]

Hi, I live on craigslist looking for useful things to multipurpose into chicken related items. I caught a posting for some reptile cages, they are 4ft long 12 inches front to back and 10 inches tall. They are made of glass and have dividers in them so they are divided into 3 sections, but the dividers are removable. They had thermometers already on them and three access hatches in the tops over each section. I used them as the indoor housing for my newly hatched quail and they worked great until my quail were ready to be moved outside into a pen. I purchased four of these and have plans for using them as brooders if/when I do another hatch! (All four only cost me $40.00, I love craigslist. lol )

Oh, SWEET!!!!!

 

[sm2teach]

 

[GreenDragon]

I was wondering how well the heating plates work? Because I've only used the heat lamp. I have seen lots of pics with them in use and may want to get one.

 

[HugHess]

For the first three days I had them on this rubber cupboard liner with Natural CareFresh Bedding underneath, and they became such pooping machines I had to remove it once I was pretty positive they new what their food was, and wasn't...

This is temporary, thank goodness, as I am in the midst of building their step up brooder while they await to fully feather out and get to cooping it! The only part I thought to be 'brilliant' was regarding my worry of chicks getting smushed in any corners, so I read the perfect idea of using reshaped cardboard... and still worried about them roistering it to no use, then light bulb moment...(for me) when I took USPS priority mail box tops, with the self adhesive lining, and stuck them to each corner. They are stuck on their good enough that even I had trouble adjusting them! Problem solved, just '99' more to go, : ).

 

[sm2teach]

I love my heating plate now. I have to admit I killed 2 chicks with it the first time I used it. I had it too low and 2 fresh hatched chicks got caught under it. I raised it up and now they are all happy. Most of my chicks sleep right on the edge of it. It is about 80 in the room that they are in though. They seem much more content than when I used the heat light. They seem to spend most of there day out exploring and then run under for a bit to warm up and then out they go again. When I put my hand in the box they run to me instead of away from me, but that may be because I hatched these and they knew me from the second they were hatched. I don't ever want to use heat lamps again. I have the large Premier plate.