BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[tick22]

This is my first time to ever have chicks and my first brooder box.

I got it as a set from the local Atwoods (like TSC). It came with the 8 yellow and white plastic cardboard type walls and the white rings that hold them together and with the PVC light holder and the zip ties to hold it up. Seems to be working great so far and it was easy on our budget ($25). It's about 3 1/2 ft wide and about 2 ft tall. We put it on a tarp in our metal shop with concrete floors and added pine shavings and the heat lamp, food and waterer. We will just put wire over top as the chicks get bigger.

Great starter. as you get into more chickens or really biddies, (chicken math), you will use this alot until you really get into it and build yourself one that will last awhile. In fact, you will learn alot and start possible building all your chicken needs as it will be cheaper. You still can not beat 25 bucks...

Welcome to the crazy world of chickens.
The fun is just beginning....

 

[krcchickens]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/5540641/width/200/height/400[/I
This is my brooder box theat my dad built me out of scrap material

 

[krcchickens]

this is my brooder box that my step dad built me

 

[3riverschick]

Here's ours - kinda hard to see in this dark picture, but it's made from boxes that we get paper in. It's 64" x 42" with a piece of lexan on the front so we can watch them.

Hi,
I see you have Speckled Sussex. if you are seeing crooked keels in your Sussex, it's because
they are perching too early while the keel is still young. Sussex should not perch till they are at least 6 weeks old.
Best,
Karen
Waterford English Light Sussex,
in western PA

 

[ldyshrk]

We started out using a pet carrier and had the light against the metal gate. We were concerned about the light being so close to the wood shaving. Then we switched to this set up. We are using a plastic bin for 5 chicks. The lights is hanging from a metal sawhorse. The boyfriend and the dog are an added bonus . I don't suggest letting your dog get this close unless you can really trust them. We are letting her interact with them as much as we can now since she is home with the our chickens all day in the back yard. We want her to feel protective and guard them from any neighborhood cats, birds, etc. Not sure what we are going to do when they start getting bigger. We have a big dog crate and a bit plastic cement mixing bin so either of those will most likely work. It is helpful to see everyone's pictures to get ideas. Right now I see we need to add a perch for sure.

 

[krcchickens]

Ok so the bottom of my brooder box is wood if you saw my pic. I had it ready and set up before my chicks came Friday. I didn't have paper on the bottom. I put a couple inches of woodchips on the bottom a paper towels on the top. Ive been changing paper towels in the morning. should i change them more often. they are pooping more. Should I dump everything and put paper on the bottom? Should I remover paper towels all together and how often should I change chips in the brooder box. I have 12. I and they don't lay under the light so I'm assuming they are warm enough??

 

[FirewifeJess]

Ok so the bottom of my brooder box is wood if you saw my pic. I had it ready and set up before my chicks came Friday. I didn't have paper on the bottom. I put a couple inches of woodchips on the bottom a paper towels on the top. Ive been changing paper towels in the morning. should i change them more often. they are pooping more. Should I dump everything and put paper on the bottom? Should I remover paper towels all together and how often should I change chips in the brooder box. I have 12. I and they don't lay under the light so I'm assuming they are warm enough??

I found it really easy to just lay another layer of paper towels down over top when I thought it was looking bad, and then every few days I'd remove all and start over. We only did paper towels for a week though because it was much easier to switch to shavings and just add some more when it was looking dirty. After we went to shavings we would clean out about every 1-2 weeks as long as things weren't looking dirty or damp. Seemed to work for us just fine. If they aren't laying under the light, they're fine. If they're crowding the walls away from the light, they're too hot.

 

[DownwardDog]

Has anyone raised guinea chicks right along with their regular chicks from the very beginning?

 

[AlienChick]

That's the only way I raise my guineas; right with the baby chicks.
The guineas seem to be more docile adults when raised with the chickens.
I usually put the guinea eggs under broody moms.
Otherwise, they're all in the brooder together.

 

[DownwardDog]

[COLOR=000033]That's the only way I raise my guineas; right with the baby chicks.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=000033]The guineas seem to be more docile adults when raised with the chickens.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=000033]I usually put the guinea eggs under broody moms.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=000033]Otherwise, they're all in the brooder together.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=000033] [/COLOR]

That's great to know! Thanks for responding! Do you also eat the guinea eggs? How do they taste?