Anything to add to brooder?

Nikki80

In the Brooder
Feb 14, 2025
13
23
31
I pick up my chicks next Friday. 7 sexed females (I know mistakes can be made and there's a chance Betty could be a Bert so to speak) 3 buff orpingtons, 2 lavender orpingtons, and 2 speckled sussex. Testing out my brooder plate to make sure it works (I have a second plate as a back up that I'malso goingto test, and if the worst happens and both randomly fail at some point I have plenty of lamps and heat lights/red lights with dimmers to adjust heat since I also keep reptiles). How's my setup look? Just testing it out right now so I can make alterations if I need to. Average room temp stays about 65-70 but I can bump it up or lower it if I have to. Just turned on the brooder plate and have my thermometer and temp gun ready. Gonna use paper towels for the first week. Anything else I should include? Done tons of research but asking people is always better than relying on Google alone.
1000004417.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 1000004417.jpg
    1000004417.jpg
    719.6 KB · Views: 10
I pick up my chicks next Friday. 7 sexed females (I know mistakes can be made and there's a chance Betty could be a Bert so to speak) 3 buff orpingtons, 2 lavender orpingtons, and 2 speckled sussex.​
I love your breeds!
Testing out my brooder plate to make sure it works (I have a second plate as a back up that I'malso goingto test, and if the worst happens and both randomly fail at some point I have plenty of lamps and heat lights/red lights with dimmers to adjust heat since I also keep reptiles).​
Perfect!
How's my setup look? Just testing it out right now so I can make alterations if I need to. Average room temp stays about 65-70 but I can bump it up or lower it if I have to.​
That should be about good! You can keep it 68-72 (that's what I do).
Just turned on the brooder plate and have my thermometer and temp gun ready. Gonna use paper towels for the first week. Anything else I should include? Done tons of research but asking people is always better than relying on Google alone.View attachment 4060527
Your set up looks spectacular!
 
I'm a first timer so I don't have much to add, I'm just curious about the paper towels! Is there any concern that the chicks might peck at/ingest the paper towels?
I had a paper towel underneath my feeder for the first day to try and help them find the feed easier, and then I took it out.

Good luck with your babies!
 
I pick up my chicks next Friday. 7 sexed females (I know mistakes can be made and there's a chance Betty could be a Bert so to speak) 3 buff orpingtons, 2 lavender orpingtons, and 2 speckled sussex. Testing out my brooder plate to make sure it works (I have a second plate as a back up that I'malso goingto test, and if the worst happens and both randomly fail at some point I have plenty of lamps and heat lights/red lights with dimmers to adjust heat since I also keep reptiles). How's my setup look? Just testing it out right now so I can make alterations if I need to. Average room temp stays about 65-70 but I can bump it up or lower it if I have to. Just turned on the brooder plate and have my thermometer and temp gun ready. Gonna use paper towels for the first week. Anything else I should include? Done tons of research but asking people is always better than relying on Google alone.View attachment 4060527
that looks good! this is a personal preference but shavings were much much better for me. I only had paper towels for a few hours and they ripped them up, they got wet/damp and the chicks had poop stuck to their feet. the chicks also enjoyed scratching around in the shavings. the only difference is that you have to provide grit and raise the feeder and water onto a platform. But as I said its just a personal prefrence and both ways can work just fine!

on a side note, I also keep reptiles! what do you keep?
 
that looks good! this is a personal preference but shavings were much much better for me. I only had paper towels for a few hours and they ripped them up, they got wet/damp and the chicks had poop stuck to their feet. the chicks also enjoyed scratching around in the shavings. the only difference is that you have to provide grit and raise the feeder and water onto a platform. But as I said its just a personal prefrence and both ways can work just fine!

on a side note, I also keep reptiles! what do you keep?
I have my shavings on standby, as well as chick grit 😊 And cool! I've got 2 bearded dragons, a fat tailed gecko, ball python, california king, and about 12 tarantulas. What about you?
 
I have my shavings on standby, as well as chick grit 😊 And cool! I've got 2 bearded dragons, a fat tailed gecko, ball python, california king, and about 12 tarantulas. What about you?
I've got a Texas rat snake, ball python, leopard gecko, crested gecko Northern blue tongue skink, and a Northern green frog
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom