Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[TheChookPatch]

Nice bens hens. I do the same thing with side boards and cupboards. Most of the time I just ask the people who throw them out on hard rubbish if they mind me using them. I also have a hot water system cupboard which is great because it is easy to clean being metal but with the wire for on the top for ventilation of course. I like your wooden feeder, did you make it too. Do the chicks find their way in the top opening at all?

 

[rexy]

They're looking great Satay. Is that a blue copper girl? Hmmm, what is your address again. Might have to come and "liberate" her. Looks like they have the life of riley at your place too. Great foraging spot for them. The cockerels are looking good too.

As to brooders, mine is just a plastic tub, and they are put into a guinea pig cage outside during the day once they are about 4 days old. They haven't wanted heat here after the first 2 weeks, which makes logistics much easier.

 

[satay]

They're looking great Satay. Is that a blue copper girl? Hmmm, what is your address again. Might have to come and "liberate" her. Looks like they have the life of riley at your place too. Great foraging spot for them. The cockerels are looking good too.

As to brooders, mine is just a plastic tub, and they are put into a guinea pig cage outside during the day once they are about 4 days old. They haven't wanted heat here after the first 2 weeks, which makes logistics much easier.

Too funny rexy. I love my blue girl. I am not sure exactly what you would class them as the mother of her is a blue and the father a French wheaten. Same with my black she is a black mum and wheaten dad.

 

[satay]

MY brooder is a glass fish tank with a lid hubby made for it.

 

[IamSamSam]

Calendars should arrive in the next 7 days or so Satay I will pm you when they arrive. I have three left. So pm me if you'd like a backyard chicken calendar first in will get them

 

[Bens-Hens]

Nice bens hens. I do the same thing with side boards and cupboards. Most of the time I just ask the people who throw them out on hard rubbish if they mind me using them. I also have a hot water system cupboard which is great because it is easy to clean being metal but with the wire for on the top for ventilation of course. I like your wooden feeder, did you make it too. Do the chicks find their way in the top opening at all?

Pretty much everything 'chicken' we have is made form repurposed materials with the exception of the Splash brooder. I bought the timber new for that. I made the wooden feeder and it works REALLY well for up to about 10 chicks, then it gets a bit crowded. The main reason I stopped using it was we increased our hatch size. Being MDF though, it is harder to clean properly.

All the brooders have wire lids, the two story one has a ledge up the top with a small removable ramp, we leave the ramp removed until they are big enough to be able to get back down it. Normally about the first week, by the second week the lid needs to stay closed or they leap the to edge and risk making a break for it.

I also made these little pipe feeders for the chicks, very easy but only hold a few cups of feed, good for a day or two. The middle part can swivel around so the holes are low for small fuzzy butts and raise it higher when they are bigger.




Here is a shot of the ramp. The heat clamp is a clamp sort, so I can adjust it's height to vary the temp without having to swap globes.


The down side to the ceramic is it does not give off light so if it is in a dark room it does need to be supplemented. In my office I have a small adjustable lamp with a 30w energy saver globe, when the sun it up it's on and when it gets dark the lamp goes off, if it's a nice day and the curtains are open full it does not need to be on.

 

[satay]

Calendars should arrive in the next 7 days or so Satay I will pm you when they arrive. I have three left. So pm me if you'd like a backyard chicken calendar first in will get them

thanks Sam

 

[IamSamSam]

NP I couldn't help it I candled an egg last night and its more developed than I expected so now I'm rushing to get everything ready incase I get an early hatch ! Go figure .... That's my luck

 

[Fancychooklady]

I got my calendar yesterday . I'm the January girl.

 

[rexy]

I got my calendar yesterday . I'm the January girl.

That's great Fancy. They obviously though King George was number 1.