Brooder question w/ PICTURE

[SundownWaterfowl]

I have sebright babies that hatched yesterday and today. I will be moving them to their brooder later tonight.

Is a 18 gallon rubber maid tub okay? I usually brood them for a couple days in a cardboard box, but I do not have one. I put some hay on the bottom and have a heat lamp above. I just set up it with a thermometer to see what temp. it gets too.

What do you use for bedding when they are in the brooder?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I just took a pic of the brooder. What do you think?

 

[Dawn419]

I use one that looks to be the same size as yours, for their first few days out of the bator.

I just put down several layers of paper towels on the floor of the Rubbermaid brooder.

When they get moved to the "big brooder" I use pine shavings with a couple layers of paper towels and remove the towels when they are 5 - 7 days old.

Hope this helps!

Dawn

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I have acouple totes I'm using too, they work fine... I'd put paper towels down for a few days to help them get traction and not spaddle legs....I find woodshavings work lots better than straw...won't get as wet....

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

So should I use the hay, or switch to papertowels.

 

[Dawn419]

No, I wouldn't use the hay (I only use that in the nest boxes) and Yes, switch to paper towels since they aren't slick and the chicks can get their legs "working right" for lack of a better term.


Dawn

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I just checked and I have NO papertowels. I cant believe it. So I am using the hay. I just moved the chicks in the brooder. It is around 95-97 degrees and the chicks like it. I do have a towel in their so that they can lay on the towel if they want.