BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[billfields]

Quote:
Best I could find was 1 week 3 sq inches per chick, 2-3 weeks 6 sq inches, 4-5 weeks 9 sq inches and 6-8 weeks 1 sq foot. (this was in a book called "Hobby Farms Chickens")

 

[JudyMcKinn]

I don't know--standard chicks are pretty big at 4 or 6 weeks. I would be more inclined to make it 4 X 6 by 2, I believe. You could put something in the middle, to keep them in one end while they are tiny,so they will stay near the heat source. Heat bulb, I assume. Or 60 or 100 watt is probably enough, if they will be in a fairly warm place. If you are going tohave them in an outside bldg. while the weather is cold (assuming you are in a cold climate) then I would use 2 bulbs, in case one burns out during the night. Have know people who lost all their babies when the heat bulb burned out early in the night, and they died from chill, or freezing. Good Luck.

 

[abChicken]

What u guys going to use next year when we cant buy real light bulbs??????

 

[Chicken0Boy]

Chicken0Boy wrote:
Ok, you guys I need some help! I am getting 15 standard chicks (cuckoo marans, buttercups, e.e., and sumatras) in May from McMurray. I thought I should build a brooder! My question is how big of a brooder should I need to hold them for 5-6 weeks? I have looked through almost all of this thread and I can't really find anything. I was thinking a 3x4x2 would work, right? Pics, Advice, Ideas are welcome.

Thank you!

Best I could find was 1 week 3 sq inches per chick, 2-3 weeks 6 sq inches, 4-5 weeks 9 sq inches and 6-8 weeks 1 sq foot. (this was in a book called "Hobby Farms Chickens")

Thank yofor the info one space per week!

Quote:
Thank you for the help! I guess a 4x6x2 would be better! I guess i will have to build it soon.

 

[showme69]

Quote:
Not a problem here. I have a life-time supply stocked up already.

 

[gumbii]

Quote:
it's cheaper to warm up a reptile with a light bulb than anything else... so petshops will still have reptile light bulbs... and since companies aren't going to want to stop making bulbs, they're going to be cheaper and more accessible for us reptile peeps...

or maybe everyone should start buying ceramic heat emmiters... they last forever... or heat tape... i'm going to use heat tape on my brooder...

 

[spiritdance]

Quote:
Not a problem here. I ha ive a life-time supply stocked up already.

Here ya go - less chance of burnout during incubation; less feather picking in brooder

http://www.google.com/products/cata...alog_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CCYQ8gIwAA

 

[JudyMcKinn]

Quote:
it's cheaper to warm up a reptile with a light bulb than anything else... so petshops will still have reptile light bulbs... and since companies aren't going to want to stop making bulbs, they're going to be cheaper and more accessible for us reptile peeps...

or maybe everyone should start buying ceramic heat emmiters... they last forever... or heat tape... i'm going to use heat tape on my brooder...

I don't know much about heat tapes, but i thought they just kept things a little above freezing.?? That wouldn't help much with baby chicks, would it? Or how does that work?

 

[Casey76]

Brooder 1 (for wee babies)

Brooder 2 (for bigger babies)

And for acclimatization before going outside:

 

[whasittoya]

Storage bins are on sale right now, i got my 49gl at Kmart for $9.99.

it even has wheels!

I bolted the frame with doubled up wire down to the lid keep the curious critters around the house out.

the girls (?) seem to like it.