BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[ozark hen]

Answered here....https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ooder-picture-heavy-update/3360#post_16666310

I have always used a sixty wt bulb over my chicks. A heat lamp proved way too much. We use a large size tote covered with hardware cloth with the lamp on top at one end

 

[Pixijayne]

I have just managed to hatch out 2 chicks, after a staggered hatch session ... silly hen kept visiting my broody and giving her new eggs !!!!!

Anyway I managed to hatch 2 out primarily using a bedsid lamp for 4 days .. eventually I was given a incubator as I was not getting any sleep nursing these silly eggs.

So 2 hatched in the last 24hrs and now I upto the 'Quick I need a brooder' stage ...

I bought a tote and thought I could use a reptile heat-pad I have handy (trying not to spend too much on all this).

Has anyone used one of these before ?

http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/E...7czoxOiIwIjtzOjg6IlNlYXJjaF95IjtzOjE6IjAiO30=

I plan to stick it to the outside of the tote and them cover it with a reflective insulation sheet.

I have taken the base tray out of the bator to keep the 2 chick warm and safe for now, while I set something up. So I can run it and test it out for a day or so, first.

What temps am I aiming for .....

I have been able to maintain 31.8C in the center of the tote at chick height and I have it to 33.5 close to the side the heat pad is on and around 29.5 at the farthest point from the side with the heat-pad .... will these temps be ok ?

 

[Pixijayne]

Here is the finished product ... Thanks to all who helped me with advice and encouragement ....

I hatched these 2 out by having their eggs under a bedside lamp for 4 days ...

I finally got an incubator for the last 12 hrs, or so ......

 

[MESOFRUFFEH]

Here is the finished product ... Thanks to all who helped me with advice and encouragement ....

I hatched these 2 out by having their eggs under a bedside lamp for 4 days ...

I finally got an incubator for the last 12 hrs, or so ......

I have tried this so many times but I always wind up cracking the lid when I try to cut a hole in it, what is your secret?! And that is pretty impressive stuff with the bedside lamp lol, i guess desperate times call for desperate measures haha, that is awesome. I love your little brooder tho it is so cute!

 

[nfowler76]

Here is mine...

 

[Pixijayne]

This is what I used to do the cutting with, the fine tooth blade ... I drilled a few holes next to each other so I could get the blade point in ...

I was lucky to have a reptile heat pad, a thermostat and some gauges and enough insulation.

But its turned out well, just not too sure how long it will be big enough ...

 

[pugleigh]

Here's mine, plastic storage box with holes drilled through, electric hen plate that they sit under is the black square

 

[Wfpendragon]

Here is mine...

I am using that exact same tote for mine, right now I have 6 but next week it will be 10.

 

[nfowler76]

Mine are12 days old at this point and I have a couple that are escape artists. The tote overall works great though!

 

[jessivogel]

okay this may seem like an incredibly old and stupid question, but woulden't brooders made with plastic (i.e. the plastic rubbermaid containers) become to hot and prretty much cook the bird?

We use the plastic tote method as well- instead of a heat lamp bulb- we actually just use a regular light bulb inside a heat lamp.