BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[nfowler76]

So far mine have not gotten that hot. No cooked chickens or melted plastic. It stays at about 95. I have now moved the light up slightly and it stays about 90 since they are on their second week.

 

[Blooie]

I start mine out at about 82.5 degrees. I know, I know....I can hear the collective gasps. But they thrive. Teens and twenties out there when I was doing the videos that I took weekly as they grew. We had full integration with the flock when they were 4 weeks old. Never lost a chick, never had one in distress, never had an issue.

 

[Small Farm]

Here is my just made brooder, 20 ft of 1/2 in. hardware cloth, around 75 zip-ties, and 8 carabiner clips to hold the door shut. It may not look pretty but I needed something that would drain, because I am getting waterfowl and they are messy with their water.

 

[DreamsInPink]

I have had my chickies for a week and a half. Got them on the 3rd. 6 Cornish Xs and 6 Red Sex Links (Isa Browns). We lost one RSL 2 days after we brought them home.

At first I had them in a large storage tote from WalMart. Not sure what size it was... but it was $16. They did really well. But are growing by leaps and bounds, especially the meaties. Yikes! They will be 2 weeks old tomorrow and we just moved them into their new brooder tonight. It's 4' X 5'. They are super happy. For now. I am hoping they are going to have enough room in there until they are ready to move outside. (the coop isn't finished yet!) Here is a pic I took of them a little bit ago, checking out their new space.

 

[aart]

So far mine have not gotten that hot. No cooked chickens or melted plastic. It stays at about 95. I have now moved the light up slightly and it stays about 90 since they are on their second week.

@nfowler76 The '5 degrees a week' theory is not necessary and may in fact keep them too warm.....adjust heat based on their behavior.
They will feather out faster and be healthier.

Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:
They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.


Or you could go with a heat plate, commercially made or DIY: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate

 

[yvyv]

So cute

 

[yvyv]

Great idea

 

[yvyv]

What a nice setup

 

[nfowler76]

Thanks art! This is helpful. Mine are laying all over the place, running around and playing in the roosts I have now rigged up in there. I have the light at one end like you said and it seems to be perfect. I have a question if you dontt mind. At what point did you move yours to the coop?? The nights here in FL are running about 70 degrees and the coop is secure, should I keep them in the brooder for 4 to 6 weeks like I have been reading or is it ok to move them out at say 3 weeks? I just want them to have more room to roam and play, not to mention I have some escape artists in the brood box. (I don't currently have it covered)Bethany's is advance!!!

 

[aart]

Thanks art! This is helpful. Mine are laying all over the place, running around and playing in the roosts I have now rigged up in there. I have the light at one end like you said and it seems to be perfect. I have a question if you dontt mind. At what point did you move yours to the coop?? The nights here in FL are running about 70 degrees and the coop is secure, should I keep them in the brooder for 4 to 6 weeks like I have been reading or is it ok to move them out at say 3 weeks? I just want them to have more room to roam and play, not to mention I have some escape artists in the brood box. (I don't currently have it covered)Bethany's is advance!!!

Start turning down the heat now, as much as you can without having them pile up under it.
You could probably move them out at 3-4 weeks...no guarantees, it''s your decision.

Make them a 'huddle box', put it in the brooder after turning off the heat(you might have to 'persuade' them to use it) then move it out to the coop with them.
Cardboard box with a bottom a little bigger than what they need to cuddle next to each other without piling and tall enough for them to stand in.
Cut an opening on one side a couple inches from bottom and big enough for 2-3 of them to go thru at once.
Fill the bottom with some pine shavings an inch or so deep.
This will give them a cozy place to sleep/rest, block any drafts and help hold their body heat in.