Brooder Hellllllppppppppp

[BooBear]

oh yeah, forgot I use a big Brooder Hutch that looks like a great big rabbit hutch.
Also have a small rabbit pen in our craft room turned brooder. (would not recommend this brand as the plastic is too soft n flimsy. Already tore one of the plastic clips when cleaning it)

Here is a picture of the big Brooder hutch

Here is a picture of the inside chicks eating/playing with scrambled egg treat

There is also a forum on different brooders that folks have. Not sure if it is under Raising Chicks or Coop section.

 

[Judy]

Yes they can go from brooder to coop, if the brooder is big enough. You can also have your brooder IN your coop. I made two out of cardboard boxes I scrounged in town. Refrigerator boxes or furniture boxes are great. In this small town I can go up to shipping docks and scrounge. Used bird netting on the top when they started flying out. Clamped the heat lamp to a chair.

 

[PepsNick]

Have an old dog crate lying around?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=56934-making-a-dog-crate-brooder

 

[ms.cluckling]

sigh...no...I've never had a dog

 

[PepsNick]

ms.cluckling :

sigh...no...I've never had a dog

Oh... Sorry.​

 

[cabincrazyone]

Quote:
I like this idea. But I wonder if it costs about eleventy two times more (in electricity) than a heat lamp with a 100W bulb which would be big enough for my small brooder (that I haven't made yet)?

 

[soap&eggs]

maybe i overlooked it..but how many chicks ? we have over 2 feet of snow so your area of living would make a huge difference...i use card board boxs..in my house..heat lamp hangs down from ceiling using a plant hook / or eye hook......as they grow i inlarge size of boxs used...some have rabbit cages also. when they get feathering out & really starting to smell and cause too much dust to stay in house anylonger out to coop..in nursery pens..which are plywood walls.. and poultry wire to prevent cold drafts and keep them safe....heat lamp is still a must until spring.. i have raised outdoors in rabbit hutches..sides are tarped..heat lamp sits ontop of cages..i wire-tie down to prevent ((cats)) from knocking off.. the hardest part of winter babies is keeping cages clean..poo is prob. their worse enemy...so whatever container you use you gotta keep it clean as possible.

 

[ms.cluckling]

ohhh...
sorry. 9...er...8 chicks (I forgot that one stopped developing...WAAAH)!!!!!!!!
Also, I live in Southern CA, and, there's no snow 'round here

But it has been getting pretty cold at night recently. The lowest I've seen it go is the 40's, which is preeeetty low for a California-girl like me

another question--how long should the chicks stay in the brooder before moving into the coop?
thanks so much!!

 

[dsqard]

Probably once they are fully feathered out.

 

[ms.cluckling]

how long does that take?