New brooder

[farmgirl7]

My babies have really grown! I had all six in a 35 gallon tub and it got too small. The chicks were knocking over the water and feed containers, so we wired them up, but they still seemed crowded. Yesterday I came home with a large box that a chair had been delivered in. I lined it with an old vinyl tablecloth and we had it up and running in about an hour and a half! They just love it! I was able to put in a real branch as a perch. Here are a few pics:BTW, I use cedar chips instead of pine. I have noticed everyone else uses the pine. Any reason for that? They seem to be doing OK with the cedar.

 

[iwiw60]

Uh-oh....I'm not 100% but it's my understanding that cedar is very toxic to chickens. Do a search on the forum and see if that's not the case.

 

[goldfinches]

They have sensitive noses and sinuses, the oil in cedar is too strong.

 

[farmgirl7]

OK, I read up on the cedar! I'll pick up some pine shavings tomorrow when I go into town. Mine seem to have done OK on the cedar so far and they are working on their 3rd week, but I'd hate for them to have problems later on. It seems to be getting warmer now (crazy weather year!), so I hope to have them out in their coop maybe by 5 weeks. We live on a small cattle ranch in southern Oklahoma, so I'll be worrying about keeping them cool before long. Thanks for your helpful suggestions as I can use a lot of them!

 

[farmgirl7]

The chicks now have pine instead of cedar. I really didn't think the cedar was bothering
them, but they have settled down considerable! They are much calmer and less skittish. They pay attention when I talk to them! And the change was immediate! I thought their skittishness was just because they were leghorns. Thanks mucho for this big tidbit of advise!

 

[iwiw60]

The chicks now have pine instead of cedar. I really didn't think the cedar was bothering
them, but they have settled down considerable! They are much calmer and less skittish. They pay attention when I talk to them! And the change was immediate! I thought their skittishness was just because they were leghorns. Thanks mucho for this big tidbit of advise!

Yes, most likely the "odor/fumes' from the cedar was bothering their respiratory/breathing some. Pine shavings should be much better...good luck and happy days!

 

[goldfinches]

The chicks now have pine instead of cedar. I really didn't think the cedar was bothering
them, but they have settled down considerable! They are much calmer and less skittish. They pay attention when I talk to them! And the change was immediate! I thought their skittishness was just because they were leghorns. Thanks mucho for this big tidbit of advise!

That's neat, glad they're doing better!