Brooder? Any Ideas?

[kare21162]

I am wondering what is good to use as a brooder? I have used the fish tank before and I don't like it because the glass get's all nasty and I have had the lamp melt the plastic on top. I see those nice metal water troughs in the feed stores but those are way too spendy. I need some room for at least 12-24 chicks/poults. Does anybody have any ideas on maybe building one or maybe you use something now or have in the past that does great! Any help is appreciated!

Thank you

 

[Cetawin]

I used my bathtub for 22 little ones...then I move them into the 4 x 4 tractor with a sheet and shavings for bedding until they were big enough for the coop.

Do a search here for brooder there are tons of neat brooders folks have made.

 

[Tala]

I used a dog crate that I already had. You can use a cardboard box with something else to support the light. Check out the sticky of brooder pictures and get some ideas!

 

[Sam The Yam]

Check out the brooder thread and all the pictures. There you can find out about whatever there is you can use as a brooder. I happened to have a small hutch and I put a box inside it with a lamp. Once they got old enough, I took the box out and let them have the full hutch. I still give them their "night light"
Their first brooder:

Graduated to a very low box:

Their brooder/run combination

 

[kyliesmommax5]

Hi there! I used a large rubbermaid tub for alil while and now I am using a wooden box made out of plywood and 2x4s it is 33inchs by 33inchs. I have 20 chicks and it works great! Hope that you find something that works for you!

 

[kare21162]

Thanks for all the replies! I am trying to stay away from the plastic because I'm afraid it would melt! I like the bathtub idea...if I had more than one bathtub I have a outside rabbit hutch that I might be able to put them in if I close up the sides so it's not windy for them, I just don't like the grating under it. I might try that if I can't find anything else that will work for me! Thanks alot for the information! Hopefully I get more too!

 

[briteday]

Try to find a large appliance box or a few large boxes of some sort. You can always duct tape boxes together to make a larger facility. Or separate the birds into two large boxes.

I'm currently brooding 18 birds. The silkies and sussex are in two boxes made into one. And the EE's and Del's are in the second, same set up.

Each box is about 30" x 30" and I have two taped together. With the last batch I raised, 10 in the same size boxes, they were fine until about 6 weeks and then it was time for them to go to the coop anyway...witha bit of heat and light on cold nights.

 

[Sam The Yam]

Quote:
In regards to the hutch, what I did was originally started out with a high box inside the hutch then eventually took the box out. In regards to the grating under it, you can put newspaper or cardboard until their feet are big enough if that is what you are concerned about. Does it have a tray for droppings? I have also put a sunscreen type tarp over it and let it hang down in front and around the sides to keep the wind and drafts from coming in. When I took the box out, I did take some 1X8 lumber and cut it to size and had 3 walls plus the solid wood back side to protect them as well. Good luck!

 

[gpamela3499]

Quote:
I used a giant gaylord box. The kind that they use to ship 10lbs. bags of potatoes to grocery stores. It worked a long time until the chicks were six weeks old.