Brooder box feedback!

[SweeneyFamJamFarm]

Hello again beautifully BYC community,

So we have finished setting up the brooder box as we anxiously await our 10 chicks to arrive by mail tomorrow!!
We created a lot puns cardboard insert which will be removed in a week or 2 to create more space for the babies. We have cardboard on the bottom of the box, with a layer of tyvek to protect that cardboard, which then has a layer of paper towel (to prevent them kicking down to the tyvek layer which is slippery), with 3 inches of pine shaving on top of THAT paper towel, and then a final layer of paper towel on top of the shavings for the first week to easily replace to keep it clean and keep an eye on how their poops are.
we have the cozy coop attached to one wall, with the water dish relatively close by, which we will place marbles in when we fill it with the magic chicken water with multivitamins to help boost up their immune system and help them recover from the travel!
For the food, we put a pie dish in, upside down, at the pine shavings level to sprinkle food on for the first few days, then will add the chicken feeder on a brick when they get a bit older there. Should we be concerned about using the pie dish? I don’t have a pizza tray or any paper plates right now. I have attached some pictures and would welcome any feedback/suggestions!
have a wonderful day! And thanks again. Xo

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC!

How big is that space right now? (dimensions)

Paper towels work, but I tell you, you will go through a lot of them. I prefer to use puppy pads instead for the first few day or for however long I might have them in the house. Puppy pads are more absorbent and tougher.
For 10 chicks, you're going to want to change out padding often.
I would be tempted to sink that pie plate upright into the shavings and let the chicks just get into it. Yes, they are going to poop in the feed, so just give a bit at a time.
If you keep the pie plate turned over - that flat smooth surface, they are going to knock off all the feed into the bedding and that can start to smell.
I also encourage you to provide chick grit free choice. Chicks do eat bedding and may even try to snack on those towels or cardboard - you never know what they will do.

I have no experience with the flat panel heat, so someone else will have to comment on that.

Do you have your coop ready for them? Personally, I like getting them outside as soon as I can. I did keep mine in a couple of days extra due to weather changes and high wind. Likely they would have been fine, I've had chicks outside when nighttime temps were in the 20s but, I had a little space and time to keep them in this time but they were ready!!

I just hatched a few chicks this time (4) - the first pic was inside - the box was probably 3' x 2' maybe slightly bigger. They were about 24hours old or so there. Next photo was yesterday, they are 10 days old there - you can see how fast they grow! Yep, for the most part they are on shavings, but I put a puppy pad under the food/water just to catch spills if needed. That will change shortly when I put food on blocks of wood or in cage cups.

 

[SweeneyFamJamFarm]

Welcome To BYC!

How big is that space right now? (dimensions)

Paper towels work, but I tell you, you will go through a lot of them. I prefer to use puppy pads instead for the first few day or for however long I might have them in the house. Puppy pads are more absorbent and tougher.
For 10 chicks, you're going to want to change out padding often.
I would be tempted to sink that pie plate upright into the shavings and let the chicks just get into it. Yes, they are going to poop in the feed, so just give a bit at a time.
If you keep the pie plate turned over - that flat smooth surface, they are going to knock off all the feed into the bedding and that can start to smell.
I also encourage you to provide chick grit free choice. Chicks do eat bedding and may even try to snack on those towels or cardboard - you never know what they will do.

I have no experience with the flat panel heat, so someone else will have to comment on that.

Do you have your coop ready for them? Personally, I like getting them outside as soon as I can. I did keep mine in a couple of days extra due to weather changes and high wind. Likely they would have been fine, I've had chicks outside when nighttime temps were in the 20s but, I had a little space and time to keep them in this time but they were ready!!

I just hatched a few chicks this time (4) - the first pic was inside - the box was probably 3' x 2' maybe slightly bigger. They were about 24hours old or so there. Next photo was yesterday, they are 10 days old there - you can see how fast they grow! Yep, for the most part they are on shavings, but I put a puppy pad under the food/water just to catch spills if needed. That will change shortly when I put food on blocks of wood or in cage cups.

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Thank you so very much for taking the time to reply!
The total dimension of the brooder box is 2’ by 3’ but we have the removeable cardboard circular insert which probably makes it around 2x2, with no corners that we just have in for the first week, and plan to remove giving them the full 2x3’ of space, with a netted lid we can place when they start trying to lift off!

The puppy pads are great, and we will go and get those for certain. I will also flip the pie dish over for the first week Or so that You suggested and then we will also be placing a regular food dish on a brick in there too.

we are hoping to have the coop complete by the time they are about 3-4 weeks old.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

total dimension of the brooder box is 2’ by 3’ but we have the removeable cardboard circular insert which probably makes it around 2x2

Personally, for 10 chicks I would take out the cardboard insert. You are going to want that space now. That's my thoughts.

I only had 4 chicks in my box this time and I felt they were cramped after 10 days.
See how it goes though!
Getting them outside is always nice - they can get a bit stinky if you don't change the pads out. They also are dusty and their fuzz gets everywhere (they have an oil gland so that fuzz is sticky too!)

Good luck with your babies! Be sure to post some photos when they get here, would love to see them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I agree with removing the cardboard, with 10 chicks, you're going to use that 2x3 space.

Also would put the food inside the pie plate. Not sure what putting it on top of it upside down is supposed to do, most of the feed would slide off.

 

[SweeneyFamJamFarm]

Personally, for 10 chicks I would take out the cardboard insert. You are going to want that space now. That's my thoughts.

I only had 4 chicks in my box this time and I felt they were cramped after 10 days.
See how it goes though!
Getting them outside is always nice - they can get a bit stinky if you don't change the pads out. They also are dusty and their fuzz gets everywhere (they have an oil gland so that fuzz is sticky too!)

Good luck with your babies! Be sure to post some photos when they get here, would love to see them.

thank you so much! Our thought with the cardboard is to eliminate the corners as I read They can pile in corners and cause an unfortunate death. I think I’ll leave it in for 2 days, and then take it out so they have the whole box

We have a 3 season room in our back yard that we use as our “card” room, which we are planning to move the babies to in a couple of weeks with a baby camera set up so we can have eyes one them!! We live in Northern Ontario so the weather still fluctuates drastically, so figure in a couple of weeks it should be better for the move to the card room.

I will most certainly post pictures of the babies when we get them! Thank you again for your time and replies!! All the best!

 

[SweeneyFamJamFarm]

thank you so much! Our thought with the cardboard is to eliminate the corners as I read They can pile in corners and cause an unfortunate death. I think I’ll leave it in for 2 days, and then take it out so they have the whole box

We have a 3 season room in our back yard that we use as our “card” room, which we are planning to move the babies to in a couple of weeks with a baby camera set up so we can have eyes one them!! We live in Northern Ontario so the weather still fluctuates drastically, so figure in a couple of weeks it should be better for the move to the card room.

I will most certainly post pictures of the babies when we get them! Thank you again for your time and replies!! All the best!

I should mention that the card room, is actually a 3 season building about 10x12x10 with electricity and windows and a door! I think they will be happy in their as part of the transition.. we are also planning on building a tractor so we can bring them safely outside when the temps allow for it while we finish building their coop/run!!

 

[SweeneyFamJamFarm]

I agree with removing the cardboard, with 10 chicks, you're going to use that 2x3 space.

Also would put the food inside the pie plate. Not sure what putting it on top of it upside down is supposed to do, most of the feed would slide off.

Thank you!
I’m going to remove the cardboard after a day or 2 (I’ll watch their behaviour for sure) and I found a few paper plates (yay!) so I took the pie dish out completely.