2018 Newbie Chat!

[BBZZZZTT]

What is everyone using as a brooder setup? After my first batch of chicks I’m doing things different this time. Just curious what you guys are using/doing?

I have a plastic bin with a hardware cloth cover over it.

I'm also using the MHP method.
Since I live in Wisconsin, there will probably be a bit of a lag time where they will be too big for this but not big enough for coop 24/7. So, I used the cover of the baby brooder as a wall for teenage chicken holding cell

Both of those were just made with scraps from my coop build (except the plastic bin itself)

 

[NNYchick]

Currently working on getting them to go into coop at night. They prefer to sleep in the run. ugh.

I have heard Locking them in the coop a few days gets them familiar with the coop and putting a light in that is on at dusk, they may not be use to day night yet and once the sun goes down can’t find their way in the coop.

 

[NNYchick]

Here is my brooder set up, after a week I had to extend it with 2 crates as they out grew just one and were filling it with poo faster than I could clean it out. Now it’s 6.5’ by 2.5’

I did have to take out the shavings I put in on the MHP end as they were afraid to walk on them. I’m going to have to slowly introduce them as I’ve been using puppy pad. BTW love the puppy pee pads as they are so easy to clean up and they don’t fill their feed and water with shavings.

 

[nine9d]

I am going to use a 100g rubbermaid stock tank from TSC. I have it already from my reef tank and I'm not using it at this time.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

I have a plastic bin with a hardware cloth cover over it. View attachment 1252216
I'm also using the MHP method.
Since I live in Wisconsin, there will probably be a bit of a lag time where they will be too big for this but not big enough for coop 24/7. So, I used the cover of the baby brooder as a wall for teenage chicken holding cell
View attachment 1252218
Both of those were just made with scraps from my coop build (except the plastic bin itself)

Looks really good! Smart of you to make a larger enclosure once the chicks aren’t so little anymore. I have two set ups as well. One for the first couple weeks indoors and a second for the fleighty teenage stage. I’ve heard good things on the MHP method. I was lazy and bought a brinsea ecoglow 50.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Here is my brooder set up, after a week I had to extend it with 2 crates as they out grew just one and were filling it with poo faster than I could clean it out. Now it’s 6.5’ by 2.5’
View attachment 1252233
I did have to take out the shavings I put in on the MHP end as they were afraid to walk on them. I’m going to have to slowly introduce them as I’ve been using puppy pad. BTW love the puppy pee pads as they are so easy to clean up and they don’t fill their feed and water with shavings.

I was wondering on the pee pads! I have a ton left over when crate training our mastiff and really prefer to use what I have instead of buying new. I used a dog crate our first go around. Little stinkers kept dust bathing in the shavings at three weeks! more shavings made their way out instead of staying in. My OCD couldn’t handle the mess! Looks great though!

 

[NNYchick]

I have really like the easy clean up with the pads, once a day I roll them up and throw in trash. I absolutely love the MHP, I made mine with a piece of wire shelving I had, bought sunbeam king heating pad (732-500) and treaded rods with washers and bolts so it’s really easy to adjust height. It’s 14”x20” and cost me $20 to make, plus half hour of my time. I figured I saved $60-80 by doing the pseudo brooder plate. I never would have brooded my own chicks if I didn’t find this because I am scared to death of heat lamps and cost of brooder plates aren’t in the budget right now. The chicks are so quiet, my husband had his reservations about brooding in the house because of the noise anytime we have seen chicks in brooder they are running around making the high pitch peeping non stop but these guys just have little peeps and trills. The only time I get a loud one is if one comes out to eat and no one follows he will do the loud peep till a dining companion joins him.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

I have really like the easy clean up with the pads, once a day I roll them up and throw in trash. I absolutely love the MHP, I made mine with a piece of wire shelving I had, bought sunbeam king heating pad (732-500) and treaded rods with washers and bolts so it’s really easy to adjust height. It’s 14”x20” and cost me $20 to make, plus half hour of my time. I figured I saved $60-80 by doing the pseudo brooder plate. I never would have brooded my own chicks if I didn’t find this because I am scared to death of heat lamps and cost of brooder plates aren’t in the budget right now. The chicks are so quiet, my husband had his reservations about brooding in the house because of the noise anytime we have seen chicks in brooder they are running around making the high pitch peeping non stop but these guys just have little peeps and trills. The only time I get a loud one is if one comes out to eat and no one follows he will do the loud peep till a dining companion joins him.

So happy you have quiet little peeps! Wish I were that lucky, one of my Ameraucana chicks has been extremely attached to me since day one. Little one screams for attention. Once you snuggle on her she goes back to her business like it’s no big deal. But every couple hours like clockwork her little scream demands for my attention. I had to move my six week olds out into the garage at three weeks, turns out I’m allergic to the down as they lose it.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

This is the first brooder I put chicks into, I’ll remove the paper towels after the first couple days so the chicks know the pine shavings are not food!

This is the second brooder space, larger feeder and many roosts at different sizes and heights so everyone has a comfortable roosting place! The hardware cloth covers the whole thing except for an entrance door so I can change out food and clean up waste daily. They fly too well at this stage to not have them enclosed completely.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

All fifteen babies arrived safely home after 20hrs in transit from CT