Largest plastic storage tote bin available for brooder - Can anyone best this?

[Scifisarah]

Over the years I have found that I really like keeping my chicks in plastic storage bins for brooders, vs other options.

Reasons why I like to use storage bins:

They are great for conserving space if chicks need to be indoors
Keep chicks safe from cat indoors
High sides keep out drafts
Can be bleached out to disinfect between clutches and get completely clean
I can use them for other purposes when chick season is over
Light weight and easy for almost anyone to move around
Relatively inexpensive

So far the largest I have been able to find locally is this one at Walmart ($19.99 each) with a 39.75"x21.5" floor space. It is 50 gallons, but that doesn't really matter, just the floor dimensions. Does anyone know of a larger one? Otherwise I think this will do quite nicely!

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-50-Gallon-Stacker-Storage-Box-Mica/25291324

 

[farmkids]

These are the ones we bought for our chicks. I picked up the babies this morning, and so far, I am please with this tote as a brooder.

 

[enola]

I bought 2 Christmas Tree storage totes. I think they are going to do a great job.

 

[Scifisarah]

I bought 2 Christmas Tree storage totes. I think they are going to do a great job.

I wish I had thought of that when all of them were 75% off! Do you know what the dimensions are?

 

[pawtraitart]

I wish they made totes that big in clear plastic. I like using the clear so I can see them from the side. For the first week, the babies are in totes in the living room. We call it "chicken-vision". It's better than the tv!

 

[3riverschick]

Over the years I have found that I really like keeping my chicks in plastic storage bins for brooders, vs other options.

Reasons why I like to use storage bins:

They are great for conserving space if chicks need to be indoors
Keep chicks safe from cat indoors
High sides keep out drafts
Can be bleached out to disinfect between clutches and get completely clean
I can use them for other purposes when chick season is over
Light weight and easy for almost anyone to move around
Relatively inexpensive

So far the largest I have been able to find locally is this one at Walmart ($19.99 each) with a 39.75"x21.5" floor space. It is 50 gallons, but that doesn't really matter, just the floor dimensions. Does anyone know of a larger one? Otherwise I think this will do quite nicely!

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-50-Gallon-Stacker-Storage-Box-Mica/25291324

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Rubbermaid Roughneck 95-Quart Clear Tote with Latching Lid $18.98
Unit of Measure Quantity 95.0 Depth (Inches) 36.4 Width (Inches) 15.8 Height (Inches) 13.9 Lid Type Latching
http://www.lowes.com/pd_327608-315-...duct_qty_sales_dollar|1&page=1&facetInfo=Tote
--------------------------
Rubbermaid 54 Gallon Roughneck Hi-Top Tote
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubbermaid-54-Gallon-Roughneck-Hi-Top-Tote-FG3A05H2MICBL/100673965
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Rubbermaid Roughneck 54-Gal. Storage Tote in Gray (6-Pack)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubbermaid-Roughneck-54-Gal-Storage-Tote-in-Gray-6-Pack-1859351/203661665
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[HardizzlesFlock]

@pawtraitart. How did you make those feeder and waterers? They look so cool

 

[pawtraitart]

@pawtraitart . How did you make those feeder and waterers? They look so cool

We use the horizontal nipples, metal holding brackets, and re-machined pvc parts for most of our poultry bottles. They were inspired by my preference for using plastic totes for my chick brooders. I needed something that saved space and kept the bedding dry.

So far the biggest clear tote I've been able to find are the ones at Walmart. I've been thinking that the extra big totes with the opaque plastic could be altered so they have a clear "window" in the sides. I haven't tried it yet, though. My husband is making me a display rack to hold my tote brooders so I can separate the breeds I hatch so it's easy to keep them organized for my chick orders. It would be nice if my totes were bigger.

 

[JaceAgain]

Seems like they'd ourgrow totes pretty quickly, no?

 

[Scifisarah]

Seems like they'd ourgrow totes pretty quickly, no?

I suppose that depends on how many you hatch at a time. By the time they get large enough to jump out, I am obviously going to want to move them outdoors. But while they need the higher temps and haven't grown their adult feathers, these work really well. 40 inches x 21 inches is quite spacious, when you see it in person. If I use smaller totes, you are correct that they do not work for long and require more frequent cleaning. But if you have two of them, you prep the second one, switch the chicks, and then can take your time cleaning the dirty one.