brooder essentials/ checklist??

[avallen]

hi guys!
so i just recently discovered that we are going to have to hand raise the three chicks that one of my hens has. the reason is that she is proving to be an aggressive mama and we have reason to believe that she is hurting her chicks.
can someone please remind me of the essentials for a brooder? the last time i made a brooder was five years ago.
thanks!

 

[ChickNanny13]

Temporary set up would be a large plastic bin with heat source (heating pad or 40 - 60 watt incandescent light bulb in a lamp & bedding). Or a large (appliance) cardboard box with the essentials. Once they're fully feathered you can put them in a wire cage with food/water, put the cage in the coop for awhile to intergrate them into the flock.

How old are the chicks? Are sure she's "aggressive" and not disciplining Mom? Has she raised chicks in the past?

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

Hello Avallen! I am sorry to hear about your aggressive hen! To make a brooder you will need…

1. The actual brooder. Some people use a plastic bin (if you do that, make sure you add some ventilation near the bottom so that harmful gasses don’t accumulate in the bottom) or a cardboard box, a dog crate or a small animal cage, and some people even use a kiddie pool! There are lots of options.

2. A heat source. My preferred way is a heating plate made for chicks, but since you had such short notice you can use a lightbulb like suggested above. (Make sure it is not Teflon coated!) you are gonna wanna make sure that if you use a lightbulb or heat lamp, that in the warmest spot it is around 95f in the warmest spot and room temp in the coolest spot. Every week bring that down 5f until you reach room temperature. You will know if they are to hot if they are all away from the heat and sometimes they will breath with their mouth open. If they are to cold they will be huddled right under the heat source. You want them all spread out.

3. Food! Chick crumbles.

4. Water! Make sure that the water dish is not to deep to insure there safety. You can put some marbles in the bottom if it is!

5. Some sort of bedding. Pine shavings I have found work best, but you can use straw or even potty pads! I would put paper towels over the bedding the first few days until they find out what food is.

6. I also like to put some toys in the brooder. Especially when they get older. Branches and sticks so they can perch, a dust bath, maybe a stuffed animal, some grass or a chunk of sod…ETC. I leave tye toys out until they are around a week tho. And these are optional, but I find they raise brighter chickens!

This is just the basics, but I hope it is helpful! I also included a link to a helpful articles! The best of luck with your chicks.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-ultimate-guide-to-setting-up-a-chick-brooder.77279/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...first-60-days-of-raising-baby-chickens.47691/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/enrichment-for-chicks.75024/

 

[avallen]

@SummerTheAnimalGirl
thanks so much!! i appreciate it!!

 

[avallen]

@ChickNanny13
theyre about 2 weeks old. this is the mom’s first time raising chicks.
she killed 3 of her chicks due to an extremely staggered hatch. i dont think thats just disciplining, lol. she has 3 chicks still alive.
thank you for your help!

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

@SummerTheAnimalGirl
thanks so much!! i appreciate it!!

Aww, my pleasure! I hope it helped.

 

[ChickNanny13]

@ChickNanny13
theyre about 2 weeks old. this is the mom’s first time raising chicks.
she killed 3 of her chicks due to an extremely staggered hatch. i dont think thats just disciplining, lol. she has 3 chicks still alive.
thank you for your help!

Hopefully she'll do better next time ... If not best to raise her chicks (hopefully not inherited trait) or not let her set. Sorry wasn't of more help. Good luck