BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[GreenDragon]

we just finished our second stage brooder. we have one brooder we will use for the chicks that are under a month and one that's in our coop for older chicks.

My daughter and i finished it over the weekend


here it is outside with the top door off, the hole in the side is so we can have a chicken door for a small run when the weather is nice.


outside with top door on


in the coop with door open and the ten chicks eating away at there food

I have a question if anyone has an opinion on this i would like to hear it.

Should i put a small roost in the brooder for my chicks?

I think i read somewhere that it would not be healthy for birds to roost at too young of an age because it can cause breast bone deformities and feet/ leg issues. now before anyone asks when i read this its been a long time (a few years) and im just seeing if its out dated info or if its just wrong.
thanks everyone

 

[ChickenChaser26]

There are some great brooders on here!! It really helps a lot for someone who is doing research before purchasing our 1st baby chicks! Has anyone used a hamster/rabbit style water bottle? I read that they can learn it super easy and it keeps the water clean all day long? I have zero experience with chickens and am pulling from everyone's collective experience before I get started. Thanks for the info!

 

[Daedalus62]

Hi CC26,

Don't know about the use of hamster/rabbit style water bottle on chickens, but I think you're better off using poultry nipples... They work perfectly, once chickens get used to them.

Just type "nipples" in the forum Search box, plenty of reviews/reports/builds on them.

Cheers

 

[sarahclarke138]

Here is a link to the DIY brooder that my husband and I put together. There are pictures, explanations, and links to materials we used. It worked great for our 7 chicks and cost us under $25! http://bittersweethomestead.wordpress.com/2014/06/01/diy-brooder/

 

[minihorse927]

There are some great brooders on here!! It really helps a lot for someone who is doing research before purchasing our 1st baby chicks! Has anyone used a hamster/rabbit style water bottle? I read that they can learn it super easy and it keeps the water clean all day long? I have zero experience with chickens and am pulling from everyone's collective experience before I get started. Thanks for the info!

we switch to rabbit water bottle waterers when they are a week old. No issues here.

 

[ChickenChaser26]

we switch to rabbit water bottle waterers when they are a week old. No issues here.

Awesome!! That's what I heard! Still a couple of weeks away from getting the chicks. I will most likely go with this method.

 

[lydzchix]

We made ours from leftover materials from our coop build. Our chicks will arrive July 21st week. Cannot wait. This brooder is about 4' by 2' and is elevated so I won't have to bend down to change litter and such. I also put casters on it so we can roll it around if needed. The last picture is of our finished coop.

 

[Sam3 Abq]

We made ours from leftover materials from our coop build. Our chicks will arrive July 21st week. Cannot wait. This brooder is about 4' by 2' and is elevated so I won't have to bend down to change litter and such. I also put casters on it so we can roll it around if needed. The last picture is of our finished coop.

Very nice version of the Wichita Coop - we have our version too

 

[lovepeeps]

I am new to BYC and new to chickens. I bought 4 chicks and started them out in a cardboard box. By the end of their second week I knew they needed more space and some Toys.

So two new boxes fastened together with duct tape. Then I cut out a door so they have two rooms and they learn about doors....






They found the door right away and investigated

I added a clump of grass and dirt which they seem pretty interested in.

Also found some red raspberries in the freezer and added those. Heres the girls

This is Trudy a Buff Orp.





The black Plymouth Rock is Tara and the Rhode Island red is Special. The grandkids named them.The easteregger is Speedy. Here's my favorite pic.

This looks like Trudy is saying "You talkin to Me? You talkin to Me? The girls love the new space and toys.

 

[Laci7210]

My brooder! It is a watermelon box. My chicks haven't came in yet but I already have it set up. I will move the paper towels after a few days then they will be on the pine shavings.