Black_cat's Brooder Thread! Come see my brooder ideas/plans/questions.

[LaFemmeKatia]

I know that once they ship, you are supposed to tell the post office to call you so that they don't leave the box to be brought to your house! I might order mine so that they come on the weekend, because my parents won't let me skip school to pick up chicks, and I don't trust them all that much to know what they're doing. Having electrolyte/nutrient water for just in case seems like a good idea, instead of waiting until they actually need it. Do you show them the chick food with their beak the way you do with the water, or just place them near it? Do you use a gravity fed chick feeder or one of the long ones?

My chick waterers and feeders.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

When you get the chicks from the post office, I'm assuming that you don't open the box while there, and you wait until you get home to open it?

Some people will tell you to open it there to have witnesses if any problems, but I waited until I got them home. If there was a problem I would have called the hatchery immediately, and provided a photo if they needed one. Hatcheries are pretty good about replacing dead chicks.

 

[orloffer]

I like the idea of raising one side of the heat device a little higher to accommodate the chicks‘ preference for how warm they want to be.
I don't want to accidentally make it too high on one side. I'm assuming I just want it to be up a notch or two at first?

Just a notch or two should be fine. That is what I did for my quail chicks.

 

[black_cat]

Should I use medicated starter or all flock? Medicated starter than transition to all flock? As they get older I'd like them to be on all flock as some start to lay and some don't, and also for adding new chicks next year.

 

[BudgieKing15]

Should I use medicated starter or all flock? Medicated starter than transition to all flock? As they get older I'd like them to be on all flock as some start to lay and some don't, and also for adding new chicks next year.

I use medicated starter and then laying feed or all flock, so I think yes.

 

[black_cat]

I use medicated starter and then laying feed or all flock, so I think yes.

How do you transition? I've heard that you're not supposed to mix medicated and non medicated feed.

 

[BudgieKing15]

How do you transition? I've heard that you're not supposed to mix medicated and non medicated feed.

I’ve actually never heard that. I usually just pour in half medicated and half none medicated layer feed and slowly add more layer feed until they have transitioned. It never hurt my chickens.

 

[NNYchick]

I also use the same thing as a brooder. Most of the time mine are out to the coop brooder by 2-3 weeks old but I love this in the house because it contains the mess perfectly, we can sit next to it and hand tame chicks because your not reaching in over them and when cleaning take out to compost and dump out. I use puppy pads the first few days to a week then shavings. They do make washable cotton pads to fit the bottom.

 

[black_cat]

I also use the same thing as a brooder. Most of the time mine are out to the coop brooder by 2-3 weeks old but I love this in the house because it contains the mess perfectly, we can sit next to it and hand tame chicks because your not reaching in over them and when cleaning take out to compost and dump out. I use puppy pads the first few days to a week then shavings. They do make washable cotton pads to fit the bottom.
View attachment 2320146

Do you think that it would fit 3 standard 2 bantams if I was keeping them in there up to 6 weeks/fully feathered?

 

[NNYchick]

Do you think that it would fit 3 standard 2 bantams if I was keeping them in there up to 6 weeks/fully feathered?

Absolutely I’ve had 15 silkies in it up to 3 weeks old and 8 bantam Ameraucana up to 5 weeks old. With plenty of room. As the Ameraucana got older I switched to a heat panel. I put the water in a short box that cases of soda comes in to block the shavings from getting in the water and added another bowl with dirt for dust bathing because they were dusting in their chick crumble. This was the longest I kept chicks inside as I have a couple areas in the coop I can section off for brooder. Which I prefer because they integrate better with the flock

Coop brooder