BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[chick24]

We got our first chicks two weeks ago when they were a week old. We've gone pretty low-tech with our brooder. First one was just a big plastic bin with chicken wire over the top. They outgrew that pretty quick, so last week I created a new brooder out of a large wardrobe moving box. I added extra cardboard so that the sides are double thickness and the bottom is triple thickness. Again chicken wire top and this time added a nice branch for them to play on and roost on (although they aren't actually sleeping on it yet). Also, I put there food and water up on a higher level (just another small cardboard box) so that they wouldn't get so full of wood chips. It's been great!

Here's the old brooder with the new one behind it:




And here they are exploring the new space (we only have 3 chicks):



We keep the heat lamp clamped to the shelves behind it.

 

[QueenofKings]

Here is our set up. It's a simple plastic bin, standard red lamp, pine shavings and feeders. I'm concerned that it might be a bit too small for the four chicks but it was thrown hastily together. (They peck and preen each other quite frequently....no blood drawn though)



and another view

 

[FuzzyChicken]

Hello all. Here's my pic's of my first ever brooder and small flock of Buff's, SLW's, BR's and Silkie's. Brooder measures 3x5 and is elevated.






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[MoonShadows]

Some great brooders posted over the past few days. I am impressed!

 

[QueenofKings]

Interesting story from my brooder! I placed a mix of alfalfa and hay for the chicks to peck and play with. (We also went out and bought two more chicks, since one of my RIR passed away.) Anyway, once the new chicks were introduced to the brooder and the chicks established a pecking order so to speak, they began to play? I'm not sure how to describe it. They began to clear away their bedding and had a clear spot where the plastic was visible. They then began to peck at it.

My cousin claimed they were planning a jail break.

 

[Amberleighe]

Here is our brooder, I am sure it will need to be upgraded in a few weeks as its kind of small for 5 chicks... but it will do for now.

We took an old headboard end cabinet, cut it in half and turned in on its side. We added a dimmer switch, lamp cord, and a flush mount light socket, handle and a knob. Total cost was about $20 plus paint. I love it!

 

[MoonShadows]

Ingenious and very good looking!

My advice....always go larger than you think...especially if you don't have the coop built yet...and, they grow so fast!

 

[tiny529]

The brooder for the last 2 years...




This year's brooder...

 

[Amberleighe]

Ingenious and very good looking!

My advice....always go larger than you think...especially if you don't have the coop built yet...and, they grow so fast!

Thanks! It looked much bigger to start off.... then once I got everything in there I realized it wasn't nearly as big as I thought. I have already told the hubby we may be converting the old entertainment center into a brooder/isolation unit.

Our coop is being built now... the hubby says it will be ready for them... we'll see lol

One last photo of the brooder and my son... he's so ready for the "hungry chicken babies" to get here. He continues to try and talk me into putting out the feed because the chicken babies are hungry!

 

[MoonShadows]

The brooder for the last 2 years...




This year's brooder...

Cute!