BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[justin7]

cheap, easy to clean stage 1 brooder. these drawers are taken out and cleaned between hatches. birds only stay in for about 2 weeks. we use 60 watt light bulbs for the first 3 days or so, then we found 40 watt bulbs work the best. usually 25 watt bulb in the center drawer since it has the heat from the above and below drawers. no pasty butts here. they go in and outta the light as needed. if the birds get too hot, open the drawer or change the bulb. again where this brooder excels is in clean up. the plastic drawers are not porus so no filth or odor remains once they are cleaned. Hope you find it inspiring!

My question is, how do you prevent pasty butts? 2 or 3 of mine always get them! The same chicks every time! Been trying to figure out a way to fix it.

 

[rom1136]

we used to have that problem, and then realized it was from our heat being too high in the brooder. since making the switch and let the chicks adjust their own temp by coming into the light, we don't have that problem.

 

[justin7]

we used to have that problem, and then realized it was from our heat being too high in the brooder. since making the switch and let the chicks adjust their own temp by coming into the light, we don't have that problem.

Oh awesome! Good to know. Too much heat equals pasty butt. Lol. That's what I figured. But I'm to scared to move the light because I never raised baby chicks before. Some how I ended up with 18, and I haven't lost any yet in 3 weeks! "Nock on wood"

 

[dolfi]

I couldn't wait! I got the heat lamp and perch installed! Finishing touches tomorrow right after work! So happy for my 18 little feather babies!

How many times do you clean it out. I clean mine every other day or every 3 days. I still get the smell and the pasty butts. I even lost a few.
I really need help with keeping them alive for the first 2 months.

 

[justin7]

How many times do you clean it out. I clean mine every other day or every 3 days. I still get the smell and the pasty butts. I even lost a few.
I really need help with keeping them alive for the first 2 months.

I honestly clean mine ou Every 3 days. I use hay, not a lot. Just a small amount for the to be able to scratch in it, cuddle in it, and chew it. I'm always filling there feeder 4 times a day. As well as water because it get nasty. I have a heat lamp about 3 feet above the tote. Then have. Heater that automatically comes on when the room gets down to 80 degrees. I just made a 4 foot by 3 foot brooder for them. Also daily I do pasty butt checks, and beak attack situations. If I see one I watch them for about 25 mins to an hour to see who the convict is. when I find him, then I separate him for a couple hours. (For some odd reason this actually works) sometimes checking for marks from a beak gets tricky because you just don't know if that's a spot where feathers are growing in. I haven't capitalized that part yet. I actually spend more time with the chickens growing then I did with my dog going through potty training.... It's weird, but it's the truth

 

[dolfi]

I honestly clean mine ou Every 3 days. I use hay, not a lot. Just a small amount for the to be able to scratch in it, cuddle in it, and chew it. I'm always filling there feeder 4 times a day. As well as water because it get nasty. I have a heat lamp about 3 feet above the tote. Then have. Heater that automatically comes on when the room gets down to 80 degrees. I just made a 4 foot by 3 foot brooder for them. Also daily I do pasty butt checks, and beak attack situations. If I see one I watch them for about 25 mins to an hour to see who the convict is. when I find him, then I separate him for a couple hours. (For some odd reason this actually works) sometimes checking for marks from a beak gets tricky because you just don't know if that's a spot where feathers are growing in. I haven't capitalized that part yet. I actually spend more time with the chickens growing then I did with my dog going through potty training.... It's weird, but it's the truth

Lol nice to know that I'm not the only one spending so much time with the babies.

 

[justin7]

It's true! But it happens. Wish you luck!

 

[justin7]

I went basic with the door. Ply wood and a set of hinges lol

 

[MichiganSilkie]

Here's one of my little brooder set-ups. They're in a large Rubbermaid tub, there's some low perches off to the left of the photo for them to practice perching on. I have a window screen that fits over it when I'm not taking pictures of the little guys

 

[andrea2chicken]

I'm too am concerned with the cleanliness of the water, and I think that having a easily cleaned (plastic or metal?) slope in the brooder might help. If the bedding was at the bottom of a very small, gradual slope, and the water container was at the top of the slope, it might keep them from getting bedding in their water but not be sloping enough to deter them from actually drinking.

If anybody has any ideas on what medium(s) I should use or how I should construct the brooder I'm more than willing to try whatever anybody comes up with. My basic theoretical design would include the lamp at the bottom of the slope and the food and water at the top of the slope. The brooder size should be able to hold 20 young chicks.

I have the same issue too with them keeping their water clean too I been looking into a system where they peck it to get water something like you use for rabbits or guinea pigs. I plan on having something like that outside so the polish aren't getting their bonnets wet when they drin. But for now I just clean their dish every 15 minutes or so. Yeah I giess they are spoiled but what mom doesn't spoil her new babies.