Since I read that a simple cardboard box is ok , I feel much better now, about that big box I have standing by, ready to make my first brooder out of! But I do have a few questions..... Is a 2x4 x 18'' high cardboard box going to be big enough for 25 chicks?? I plan on dividing the box in half when they are real tiny.....then expand the space each week, as they grow bigger. ( I learned this from BYC ) We bought a 125w brooder lightbulb to heat the brooder. Bought 2 of them, in case one burns out. Another tip learned here. I need to know if this is ok...or should we be using one of the 'red' bulbs?? I see both types on the post pictures and wondered ....what is the difference and which is best? My chicks wont arrive till April 2 ...so I have time to make changes if I need to. Thanks in advance for all the help!!!
red is the best, it want cause them to pick as much. your box needs to be a little bigger for when they get bigger, they need at least 1sq foot of space at two weeks of age, and at least 2sq foot of space at 6 weeks of age, and 4 1/2 feet of space at 8 weeks, but if it is warm when they are 5 weeks of age you can put them in a pin out side for a little time each day to get the space. for this is how i do mine. william
Just got my babies thursday..18 in brooder and i can see that they will outgrow it by next thursday if they keep growing like this. Will probably have 3 brooders by the time i get them in the coop. That's not ready...lol
OK....that settles it.... I have my receipts hunted up and am gonna go to Lowes, tomorrow, and exchange my white lights for the red ones. But what do I look for? Are they called INFRA RED? Are they in the bulb section with the white brooder lights?? Wanna make sure I get the right ones this time. And I like the idea I read about in an earlier post, where someone used closet doors to make a big brooder ? So when that cardboard box becomes too crowded....I will just make them a nice big enclosure with what we have on hand .......Thanks again for all the help ! I am actually not feeling near as frantic as I was and think I am ready to calm down and just relax till my babies arrive!!
I use the red heat lamps. The kind you used to see in bathroom heat lamps. Last time I was at the Home Depot in our town, they no longer carried them. If, you don't find them at Lowes, or Home Depot, try an Ace Hardware or other old hardware chain. FYI - Virginia Tech., Oregon State Universite and University of Missouri all list brooder space requirements for chicks up to 8 weeks of age as 1 sq. ft.
Be VERY careful of any kind of heat in a cardboard box. Fires will start very easy on dried out cardboard. Metal is best but wood will do if you are carefull. Sand in the bottom with hardware cloth an inch or so off the bottom. Make it like a grill. Cardboard and heat lamps are a scary combination to me. jmo
Be sure your light fixture is rated high enough. I could only find 250watt infared bulbs and a lot of the clamp lights are only rated for 150watt. I found both the lights and bulbs at TSC. Must be in season cause they had an end cap display of these. I've been using them on an inside brooder and it's not too hot if you adjust.
I totally agree with poohbear on the fire hazard thing. Cardboard would scare me with a heat bulb. I raised just 7 chicks in a large dog sized airline crate with the top removed. It got to the point that it seemed as though I was constantly cleaning from the immense stink and they grow so much faster than you think. 2 X 3 seems tiny for 25 unless maybe you are getting bantys? I have seen chicks raised in aluminum horse water troughs but I think the dimensions were about 2 X 5 minus the rounded corners. When the chicks became feathered, they had to add a second water trough. THey were just too large to all fit anymore. Can you find another box with the same dimensions and cut a side off each box then duct tape them together? There should be enough room that they can get away from the light if you have it too low into the box. You will need to provide a wire cover for the box out of chicken wire or hardware cloth wire.
