Any ideas for making a brooder?

[jeepgrrl]

I also like the heating plate (check on Premier1 website, much cheaper than other sites) because it mimics the chicks sleeping under their "mama". During the day if they weren't sitting on top of it the chicks would go under it to take naps or to warm up and at night they slept under it for the most part - no peeping all night long.

 

[debid]

I took video of mine when I first put them in their brooder home and then again when they were 2.5 weeks old.

I built a wire frame that fit inside the cover the heating pad comes with and it included some legs as well as being arched in shape. I repurposed some old cloth diapers to drape to the floor on 3 sides so any breeze getting in the pop door would be blocked while they're underneath. It's about 38F that first day and I have plastic stapled across the lower half of the big doorway so the wind wouldn't hit them while I was checking on them and filming. It was a little warmer when I took the second video but nowhere near the 70F I often see quoted as the minimum temperature for chicks to have an outdoor adventure.

 

[Sublight]

Is there any ideas for making a brooder and which is the perfect light? The red light or the white light?

Based on your name I assume you have silkies? Mother natures PERFECT / Cheap incubator.

 

[Girly White Silkie]

Underneath. The heating plate type has legs and they go under it to warm up during the day and to sleep at night.

That means they don't squash the chicks.

 

[Girly White Silkie]

A pic of our first brooder in a cut down clothing box and using a MHP (mama heating pad). The pad is under the cloths, the tunnel is made from hardware wire.View attachment 1188178



You need to make sure your heating pad has an auto off option, which means it stays on until YOU turn it off. Sunbeam is the only brand we've found so far that has that option.

Very good!

 

[Girly White Silkie]

And only select models have the auto off over-ride.

Is there any heating plates with plugs suitable for 3 holed plug slots?

 

[Girly White Silkie]

I would highly recommend scrapping the lights all together, the mother heating pad lets them sleep and does a much better job all the way around. sunbeam makes one that allows you to turn off the auto off feature for continuous use. here is a thread with lots of details. I've even made one for brooding meat birds, i'm never going back to heat lamps. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

Thanks, but how much does the mama heating pad cost?

 

[Girly White Silkie]

this is the one I've used, depending on how many chicks you are talking, you may decide to go with a smaller one. I used two of these for 36 chicks. you can drape it over hardware cloth or get more fancy and mount it on hardware cloth with bolts to adjust the height as they grow. enveloping the heating pad in Pressn' seal helps making it easy to clean long term. https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-0020...VHCMhocL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail&th=1

Thanks!

 

[Girly White Silkie]

yes

Thanks!

 

[Girly White Silkie]

I took video of mine when I first put them in their brooder home and then again when they were 2.5 weeks old.

I built a wire frame that fit inside the cover the heating pad comes with and it included some legs as well as being arched in shape. I repurposed some old cloth diapers to drape to the floor on 3 sides so any breeze getting in the pop door would be blocked while they're underneath. It's about 38F that first day and I have plastic stapled across the lower half of the big doorway so the wind wouldn't hit them while I was checking on them and filming. It was a little warmer when I took the second video but nowhere near the 70F I often see quoted as the minimum temperature for chicks to have an outdoor adventure.

The chicks are so cute!