BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[mclanea]

Here's ours. Made a wood box with plywood and 2x4s. Then a top out of 1x2s with chicken wire on top. (keeps them in and keeps our cat out.)

It's actually on a cheap Ikea desk. I measured the box to fit right on top. Kind of overkill but it's been fun. I've since added a little shelf to mount the webcam... that they basically now just use as a roost.

 

[Rooless]

I use a large tub. I found that hooking the lamp on the back of a chair I can move it away from the tub so it doesn't get too hot. That way it doesn't heat up the whole tub and gives the girls somewhere to get away from the heat. I plan on making a mother heating pad set up. I also have the water on a rack over a pie pan to keep pine shavings out.
I also was having a problem with the chicks roosting on top of the water and feed then pooping in it. To stop this I cut a circle and a strip of cardboard long enough to wrap around the top of the jar and then an extra inch or two. I cut a slit to the center of the circle and make a cone out of it. I taped the strip to fit around the bottom of the jar then taped this to the cone by cut slits into the strip and bending them.

 

[mclanea]

How long can I realistically expect them to stay in the brooder box I've built? (10 square feet for 5 chicks)

They are very healthy, eating a drinking and pooping machines. But as soon as I pop the top off of it out a couple of them come. I've been giving them "yard time" each day, which they LOVE, but they need to be in there 23 hours a day or so.

Building the coop/run this weekend. Am I going to put them in the coop right away? Or is it recommended to keep them in the brooder a couple more weeks with more and more yard/run time?

 

[aart]

How long can I realistically expect them to stay in the brooder box I've built? (10 square feet for 5 chicks)

They are very healthy, eating a drinking and pooping machines. But as soon as I pop the top off of it out a couple of them come. I've been giving them "yard time" each day, which they LOVE, but they need to be in there 23 hours a day or so.

Building the coop/run this weekend. Am I going to put them in the coop right away? Or is it recommended to keep them in the brooder a couple more weeks with more and more yard/run time?

If the coop is secure and they are feathered out, put them in the coop.
How old are they and what are your night tempuratures?

 

[juxtaposed]

Brooder Bonder I'm calling it. 1 monthish birds on left side with newborns/first week olds inside pen.
We're new Silkie parents. I'm told they shouldn't have a problem integrating. Not sure when to let them be together, when they're of a more similar size I'ma go with.

 

[mclanea]

If the coop is secure and they are feathered out, put them in the coop.
How old are they and what are your night tempuratures?

They don't have all of their feathers. 23 days old right now. I've begun weaning them off the lamp since it's warm in the garage during the day anyway. (staying in the 70-80 degree range) Night time temps are upper 50s and low 60s.

 

[brittneyo]

I just repurposed an old crib that I bought at a yard sale! I had an open type that I had bought from the feed store, well one of my kids let our dog in the garage, and I lost 3 of them I'm going to make something to cover the top in case they try to fly out! This should be dog proof!

 

[Rostercogbern]

this was my first brood it was a chest freezer box

 

[Rostercogbern]

this one is a 4x6 that will be in stalled in my coop until the chicks are 3 or 4 weeks old then mix with the rest the hard wire is for a window so they get used to each other before being all together

 

[Intheswamp]

this was my first brood it was a chest freezer box

Wow...starting them out in 'freezer camp', that's kinda cold, isn't it? (sorry, I couldn't resist the pun..or whatever it is<grin>)

Good re-purpose!