A good chick brooder?

[Lelilamom]

We built a brooder out of plywood a few years back. A word of caution. Wood soaks up moisture. That includes moisture from spilled water and feces.

 

[southernhusky]

Yes. Wood can't be sanitized. Dispose of eventually

 

[fuzzy8]

Wonder if I change it daily ?

 

[southernhusky]

Still soaks in. I'd coat it with diatomaceous earth(for odor), then pine pellets(more absorbant), then shavings. That's what I do in my storage tub brooders

 

[southernhusky]

Painting it would make it more water proof. Is it painted?

 

[fuzzy8]

No it's not painted, but I think I have enough old paint laying around that I can combine to get enough to cover the floor

 

[southernhusky]

Link for that heat cave with pics and instructions. =) You can use a reptile heat pad in place of the $40 amazon one mentioned.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

 

[Lelilamom]

No it's not painted, but I think I have enough old paint laying around that I can combine to get enough to cover the floor

Careful with paint. Chicks will pick at it and may ingest some. Your best bet is to change pine shavings ever other day and when your chicks go in the coop, toss the brooder. We only got one season out of ours and it was saturated. I cleaned ours once a day with layers, then twice a day with broilers. We used sand that year.

 

[southernhusky]

Di

No it's not painted, but I think I have enough old paint laying around that I can combine to get enough to cover the floor

That should help it last longer, cover the floor well so the chicks can't peck it directly, even some paper towels/newspaper would help it absorb

Did you get your setup done? Pics of chicks after you get them? Another idea could be a bird or guinea pig(might need to add screen/wire cloth if gaps are big) cage, even a crate if you have one your not using.

Personally I like bird cages for a small amount of chicks or if I bring one inside for doctoring(which I haven't had to do yet but in case). I like the pull out trays that make cleaning so easy.

 

[fuzzy8]

I built my brooder coop the other day. I don't have my chicks yet. Not till beginning of May. But I work swing shift and want to be ahead of schedule