Any ideas for making a brooder?

[UrAlly]

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

no light or at most a distant night light. Even the moon is enough. I use heat plates for our under 8 week old chicks, but, after that, they don't get heat and the nightlight suffices when moonlight isn't present. This allows them to rest as per natural light.

 

[Girly White Silkie]

Get yourself a silkie, and let her go broody. She takes care of EVERYTHING.
Temp, and humidity.
She is the brooder box.
And its really cute to watch her teach them to dust, and scratch and stuff.

How do I make her broody?

 

[Girly White Silkie]

It sounds so simple -- just get a hen prone to broodiness. Except hatcheries don't select to preserve that trait and a great many hatchery Silkies disappoint their owners who wanted a broody by being either disinterested or male.

I have a Marans hen from a breeder that I thought for certain would go broody. As soon as it starts getting cold out, she will sit on any egg left in the nest at dusk. All night if I don't show up to collect. Weirdest thing I've seen. But, as soon as the sun is out, she's done until the next evening. I tried enticing her by leaving a clutch of fakes in place, she didn't bite.

What type were they?

 

[Girly White Silkie]

She is not Broody...In the habit of sleeping in the nest box...A whole other issue..

Yeah.

 

[Girly White Silkie]

i used a red heating lamd light bolb i had 12 chicks and they all made it

I go for the Brinsea EcoGlow 50 Chick Heater.

 

[Girly White Silkie]

She is practising...My one Stupid Orpington lays on eggs till I collect too and she has never been Broody...My Broodys that are resting lay and leave...Hence her name is Ding-Dong...lol

Is your Orpington a buff Orpington?

 

[Girly White Silkie]

The odd hen will be 5 in spring so if she was going to go broody, I think she would have by now. I consider it a favor for the winter nights we get home late. So, I patiently shine the flashlight for her so she can get to the roost and thank her for her service.

What is an odd hen?

 

[Girly White Silkie]

no light or at most a distant night light. Even the moon is enough. I use heat plates for our under 8 week old chicks, but, after that, they don't get heat and the nightlight suffices when moonlight isn't present. This allows them to rest as per natural light.

I go for a chick heater.

 

[Sublight]

How do I make her broody?

If you have a silkie, and she is mature. Put a bunch of eggs, or fake eggs in a box that is protected, and fairly dark. I make them enclosed on 3 sides, and the top, then the front has a smaller opening. Big enough to see out of, but not completely open. Say 75% open, but a little closed off.
Works for my silkies.
They are like crack addicts. They NEED to go broody.
Having said that, there are no guarantees, but they are the most broody chicken out there. At least that's what ive read.

 

[chickens really]

You can not make a Hen Broody....Hormones make them Brood....