Brooder questions

[Ilovechickens2525]

Hello!

I’m just contemplating brooder boxes and have a few questions, looking for suggestions.

Should I attempt to make my own nice wooden one? I have wood on hand but am concerned about my abilities to use an electric saw lol. Also how heavy that will be to get it in and out of the house etc.

I also saw an idea to use an old pack n play. I have one, anyone try this and how did you like it? Any fire risk putting a brooder light in it? Planning to get one of those brooder plates rather than a heat lamp.

Or, just buying one of those big tent things. Or should I just buy a brooder box?

I have a cat, I should note. I have concerns she’d walk on the tent. If I use the pack n play what should I use to cover it overnight so the cat doesn’t jump in?

She’s older and I’m not extremely concerned about her but she is still a cat and I don’t want to invite problems…

 

[azygous]

You have far more brooder options than you think. Read this. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/ You'll see that brooding chicks can be very creative, and many brooders can be free and instantly had.

Also, many people get their baby chicks before they build their coop and run. Big mistake. Chicks are ready to live in a coop in just four weeks. And brooding chicks indoors is so messy and dusty, most people can't wait to get the chicks out of their house. The dust finds its way deep into your closets and every where else. You will still be cleaning the house by the time the chicks are old enough to start laying eggs.

The most ideal way to brood chicks is outdoors, and my article goes into all the reasons why.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

You have far more brooder options than you think. Read this. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/ You'll see that brooding chicks can be very creative, and many brooders can be free and instantly had.

Also, many people get their baby chicks before they build their coop and run. Big mistake. Chicks are ready to live in a coop in just four weeks. And brooding chicks indoors is so messy and dusty, most people can't wait to get the chicks out of their house. The dust finds its way deep into your closets and every where else. You will still be cleaning the house by the time the chicks are old enough to start laying eggs.

The most ideal way to brood chicks is outdoors, and my article goes into all the reasons why.

Thanks! I will give that a read.

I do have a coop already actually, but there are 9 full grown hens in there so I’m not sure how easy that integration process will be. My hatching eggs will arrive while it’s still quite cold where I live so they may not integrate that quickly. I do have a large heated garage so they can move out there once the mess gets to be a bit much.

 

[azygous]

All the concerns you mention are addressed in my article.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Hello! Every time I've raised chicks I have used a rubbermaid and it works perfectly! The good thing about them is that once u r done using them, you can wash them off with a hose outside with dawn dishsoap.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

Hello! Every time I've raised chicks I have used a rubbermaid and it works perfectly! The good thing about them is that once u r done using them, you can wash them off with a hose outside with dawn dishsoap.

Did you use a brooder plate with this?

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

All the concerns you mention are addressed in my article.

read it!

Love the opening from the side idea. I don’t think I’ll be able to do everything as you suggest given our set up. But if I were to start with your original box idea, is this safe with a brooder plate?

I’ll have to have a look at our coop and see if I can create the type of space you mention in there too. Really good ideas. And I do have electricity in there to hook up a brooder plate. This may also work to move them right in there sooner than I’d planned.

 

[azygous]

About the only limitation a brooder plate has is providing enough heat to baby chicks when the temperature is very cold. Temps 50F and above, heat plates do just fine.

 

[Debbie292d]

read it!

Love the opening from the side idea. I don’t think I’ll be able to do everything as you suggest given our set up. But if I were to start with your original box idea, is this safe with a brooder plate?

I’ll have to have a look at our coop and see if I can create the type of space you mention in there too. Really good ideas. And I do have electricity in there to hook up a brooder plate. This may also work to move them right in there sooner than I’d planned.

Seeing you're in Canada, I believe you'll need something besides a brooder plate if you're putting baby chicks out in the coop. Like @azygous said, brooder plates are only good for 50F and up. I'd use a ceramic bulb in a UL shroud approved for it. We hang ours with a chain to a secure hook that you can raise and lower link by link as they get acclimated.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

We raise ours for the first three weeks in a big plastic tote in a spare bedroom. Dust is not a problem because we use puppy pee pads, not shaving or bedding. We change the pads every evening. We use a heat bulb in ceramic housing as @Debbie292d mentioned, and we suspend it from a rod in a closet from which we have removed the door. The tote is half in, half out of the closet so it has a warm area and a cooler area and the chicks can go to the area they prefer.

@azygous' suggestion is also a very good one, but we usually start our chicks very early in the spring when the weather is quite inclement and frankly ... I don't like the cold and wet and mess at all, at all, lol! Brrr!