Brooder Materials?

19marvinn

Chirping
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So far, my brooder is equipped with pine wood shavings, a waterer (and bottle), a feeder, and a heat lamp with 100w bulb. Is there anything I'm missing? I want the best for my chicks but I'm new to this. Thanks!
 
No that sounds good. You have the basics. Food/water/heat/bedding. How many chicks do you have? Is the waterer a nipple style where only one chick can drink at a time?
 
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PrudentPepper, Thank you for answering! this is the water dish I plan on using. There is a water bottle that will go on the top. Also, 6 chicks. Plymouth rocks, Speckled Sussex, and wyandotes
 
Ah, I see, yes, that water dish should be plenty big for 6 chicks. I put apple cider vinegar in my chicks water for a health boost, and I also put electrolytes and probiotics in as well every few days. Something you could look into if you want :) I put about a tablespoon of vinegar per gallon every time I give them water, and then mix in the electrolytes and probiotics every third day - they come in a package pre-measured for a gallon of water. Other than that - food, bedding, and a light is all you need. Make sure the light is positioned so that the chicks are not too hot nor too cold. They should be spread out in the brooder, not clustered under the light or avoiding the light.
 
Congrats with your baby chicks! You can also either use a thermometer to make sure temperature is about 95-98 degrees F or just move the light bulb around if too hot or too cold. They'll bunch up together near the bulb if cold and move away from the bulb if too hot.
 
Agreed, I think you have everything and the heat location and temperature info is good info. Also check into water temp when you fill your container...most of the info points to using water about on the middle setting of your faucet the first couple of weeks as cold water can chill them quickly. And actually, the info points to room temperature water but we never had time to let the waterer sit and achieve room temp so I just used the medium setting on the faucet. After they are bigger they will appreciate the cool water instead...although I do not know your geo loc.

You might think about putting together a first aid kit as well...the Fresh Eggs Daily blog has a good list to read through and you can decide what you want to be prepared for. There are a lot of posts on here from folks waiting for something to arrive or driving to 3-4 stores trying to find a remedy and hoping their babies survive until they can get whatever product they need.

We started our girls on the same waterer but I also had bucket nipple waterers too and just be ready, you will have to clean that waterer most likely twice a day. We even have ours elevated on landscaping blocks and they still get pine flakes and poo in it twice a day!

We also started with a feeder that matched the waterer but they would really dig out the food from it. I ended up going with the long trough style and it has served us better but we have 24 chicks so you may not have an issue.
 

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