BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[debid]

Where does everybody keep their brooders in the house, garage, Barn etc... I have 1 in house with 4 week old birds, one in coop with 3 month olds (my barred rick is being mean to them so I cant let them out unsupervised) one in my bedroom in a plastic tub are 2-3 week olds. I'm so sick of having them in the house lol so messy but afraid to put 4 week olds outside because too cold

Outside in a chick-juvenile coop that's next to the main coop. It has 1/2" hardware cloth for the run so nothing is getting inside that could harm them and they can all see each other through the fence. When it's time to merge, we start with supervised ranging of littles while the big girls are out.

As long as you can provide a heat source, you can put chicks of any age out in cold weather. I used a bulb before but going heating pad cave this time.

 

[SnowKnitty]

I have a "mini-coop" which is really just a tiny shed we converted for this purpose. We plan to move 3 week old chicks there from our indoor brooder. (It would be better to section off a portion of the main coop so they could stay out of reach of the adults but the chicks and adults could see each other. But I don't have a good way to do that in my current coop.)
I kept chicks indoors longer last year and they were a mess! Since that time, I've read plenty on this forum from folks who have their chicks in an outdoor shelter from the very beginning. As long as they are protected from predators, wind, rain, and snow and have a heat source (Mama Heating Pad, heat plate, or heat lamp) that is sufficient for the number of chicks you have, they can be outside earlier than seems possible to us New Eggs! If you don't have sufficient heat sources to go around, I recommend you read about the Mama Heating Pad here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update
Blooie has posted some great pics and instructions for how to put one together. Take the time to read through several of the follow on posts to learn from mistakes others made in constructing it. That's always the easier way to learn than making the mistakes yourself!

 

[debid]

I remember how worried I was over the temps taking an unexpected nosedive into the teens. I went out and saw them running around the same as if it was any other day! Since then, I've seen pictures of broody hens with chicks in the snow. I worry much less.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Where does everybody keep their brooders in the house, garage, Barn etc... I have 1 in house with 4 week old birds, one in coop with 3 month olds (my barred rick is being mean to them so I cant let them out unsupervised) one in my bedroom in a plastic tub are 2-3 week olds. I'm so sick of having them in the house lol so messy but afraid to put 4 week olds outside because too cold

I built a brooder coop on the underside of my first coop (the second coop farthest from the camera is my new coop I just set up a few months back). It is about 2 1/2 x 6 and I partition it off at first to be about 4 square feet until I am sure they can make their way back to the coop. I hatched a dozen chicks on Tuesday and they spent their first night out there last night. For the first week or so I keep the door to the run closed but then they have access to their own 6x6 run area that I can eventually open up to let them mingle with the rest of the flock. When I do so depends on if a broody is raising them if not. If there is a broody I start introducing them to the flock around two weeks. Without a broody I wait a bit longer just since they don't have her to mind them and protect them.

 

[Blooie]

I keep my brooder pen outside in the run with the adults, even during our balmy springtime weather of snow, wind, and temps in the teens and twenties!

 

[haunani]

I don't have much to share, as I'm just starting to get ready for my first order of chicks. T-2 months until hatch day!

Using ideas from here, I'm using a dog crate (from our late, great Dobie boy). To help keep out hungry kitty paws and stop the toddler & preschooler from dropping things in, I'm lining it with 1/4" hardware cloth. I started on it tonight and will finish it next week.

I look forward to having more to share!

 

[ChickenPooDo]

I'm using a wire dog crate as well and we clip towels around the edges to keep bad kitty away, but I almost like the plastic tote because I can use pine shavings in it and none gets on floor. But hard to cover top of the tote to keep cat out. Currently expanding our run and I like the idea of sectioning off a part for babies. Will be 24'x24'for approx 21 birds when done. Plus I let them out a lot to free range. I have a scrap wood pile and I will throw a mini coop together today. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[debid]

I found a scrap piece of jack chain and rigged up a hanger for the chick feeder. Now the height is adjustable and it will move if they try to stand on it. The jar is glass so it's heavy enough to not swing wildly. Anyone try this? If so, did it work well or am I going to be wishing I hadn't bothered?

 

[aart]

I found a scrap piece of jack chain and rigged up a hanger for the chick feeder. Now the height is adjustable and it will move if they try to stand on it. The jar is glass so it's heavy enough to not swing wildly. Anyone try this? If so, did it work well or am I going to be wishing I hadn't bothered?

Have seen several hanging chick feeders and waterers like this....should work ok, better for feeders than waterers.

 

[debid]

Have seen several hanging chick feeders and waterers like this....should work ok, better for feeders than waterers.

Can you imagine the mess if this were an open waterer?! My water is on the same kind of chain so I can raise it as they grow but it's a 128oz juice bottle with a nipple in the lid. Ocean Spray makes really nice, squared juice bottles. I just made a hanger much like this one and poked a hole in the bottom to prevent a vacuum. It even has a handle for easy filling. Perfection.