BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[MrsHatz]

How are the cats dealing with the chicks and is this keeping them out? This is what we have planned for our chicks when them come in as well.

 

[MrsHatz]

I have 4 cats, so I needed my brooder to be cat proof. I made mine last night in under an hour with a rubbermaid tub, some hardware cloth & zip ties. I used some scrap wood to make a post to hang the Light. This is my first experience with chicks, brooders etc. I went & got my 3 babies today. They seem to be doing well.

Is this keeping the cats out?

 

[mdzw]

My brooder keeps my cats out- I have 4- i bought a large rubbermade tub with handle locks, cut out the center with a box cutter & used hardware cloth attached with zip ties. Drilled small holes to attach the hardware cloth.

 

[mdzw]

Yes, works great! I have 4 dogs too! No problems

 

[westerveltn]

What tempature should a brooder be at?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

What tempature should a brooder be at?

Hi

Glad you could join the flock! 95f for newly hatched chicks under the lamp is reccomended. Lowering it by 5f every week there after or you can usually tell if your chicks are too hot or cold by their behaivour . If they are too cold they will be huddled on top of each other under the lamp. Or too hot and they will spread out on the edges under the lamp. I aim for a nice little carpet of chicks under the lamp. Here is a nice article on brooding chicks https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...ks-the-first-60-days-of-raising-baby-chickens

Good luck and enjoy BYC

 

[aart]

What tempature should a brooder be at?

Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:
They need to be pretty warm(~85F on the brooder floor right under the lamp) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker integration to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later i still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.

 

[IndiesChix]

I used trash bags for the bottom of my cardboard brooder. I taped them down so they can't be scratched up. Underneath the trash bag is a also cardboard. I moved the chicks unto the garage a couple of days ago, the dust was getting out of control, the bigger they get the worse it is. Had to add another light cause our weather is still cold here especially at night. They are now trying to fly out, so I had an old soccer netting and just stretched over the top, problem solved. We don't have cats, so the netting works.

 

[Natalierose]

Brooder with 150 watt red light







Just added a couple perches, and a mirror




She's no real sure about the new additions to the brooder...



My cochin however....was willing to try both pecking, and resting her head on it. Maybe she'll try roosting tomorrow ...



The silkies are so small they just walk under....and seem unaware of it entirely

 

[bobshammy]

Used a bottom to a ferret cage then added cardboard walls