BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[Coop-de-coop]

Throwing my hat, er, brooder in the ring with my first brooder design, using what I had lying around, along with plenty of advice and inspiration from BYC members. A momma pad—thank you Blooie for your info—ceramic heat lamp (double rigged and will disconnect if both attachments fail), and reflective R-19 insulated floor. Bluetooth remote thermometers for momma pad & brooder. Perhaps overkill for a brooder in an insulated garage but Montana isn’t exactly known for balmy nights. In fact looks like first frost of fall tonight, already 37° under a clear, nearly full Corn Moon and all quiet on the brooder front.

 

[aart]

Nice big brooder for 6 chicks @Coop-de-coop !

ceramic heat lamp

Curious what the temp is on the floor under the lamp?

A momma pad

Concerned about the shape of the 'cave'....long and narrow with only one opening.
Might want to at least pull the far end away from the wall.
Or go flat for more space and egress.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate.67729/

 

[Coop-de-coop]

Nice big brooder for 6 chicks @Coop-de-coop !

Curious what the temp is on the floor under the lamp?

Concerned about the shape of the 'cave'....long and narrow with only one opening.
Might want to at least pull the far end away from the wall.
Or go flat for more space and egress.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate.67729/

Was wondering about that but at night they seem to bed down between wall and middle of cave. Have to make it taller or maybe create a larger one though, as they really starting to grow.

Temperature inside cave runs 90-95 degrees and about 90 under ceramic lamp. During the day they run all over their 8 square feet & doze sometimes on soap stone under lamp. They’ve been quiet since they got settled in 2 weeks ago.

Thanks for feedback & including link!

 

[Broncos52]

Got the flock all set up. Just trying to get them to use the plate instead of the heat lamp since I'm keeping them in a spare room. The pets are loving them too! Excited to raise these little guys.

 

[jher77]

I don't use those but it looks like the heat plate is down too low so they can't get under it. I think it has to be about "back" level.

 

[halefamily_flock]

I use a plastic tub for a brooder. Starting smaller and increasing in size.
Here are 2-week old chicks in my largest tub...

At around 2.5 weeks, I upgrade them to a double brooder. I put 2 tubs together, with about 8" high hardware cloth wrapped around the outside edges.

With 2 removable pieces on top

During the day, I remove the heat plate from one side, to give them extra space for chick games & chest bumps. A couple of times a day, I let them play for a few minutes without the top and handle them, hand feed them, refill water, etc. At night, I leave a heat plate on each side.

 

[Ali_Howard]

Has anyone tried a GQF or a Brower brooder? Both models allow feeding from the outside and have a cleaning tray. I'm trying to find out if there are any other differences.

 

[Ali_Howard]

I use a plastic tub for a brooder. Starting smaller and increasing in size.
Here are 2-week old chicks in my largest tub...
View attachment 2461042

At around 2.5 weeks, I upgrade them to a double brooder. I put 2 tubs together, with about 8" high hardware cloth wrapped around the outside edges.
View attachment 2461049

With 2 removable pieces on top
View attachment 2461053

During the day, I remove the heat plate from one side, to give them extra space for chick games & chest bumps. A couple of times a day, I let them play for a few minutes without the top and handle them, hand feed them, refill water, etc. At night, I leave a heat plate on each side.

That looks like fun! How many chicks are in there?

 

[halefamily_flock]

That looks like fun! How many chicks are in there?

13 chicks

 

[CreveChris]

I use a plastic tub for a brooder. Starting smaller and increasing in size.
Here are 2-week old chicks in my largest tub...
View attachment 2461042

At around 2.5 weeks, I upgrade them to a double brooder. I put 2 tubs together, with about 8" high hardware cloth wrapped around the outside edges.
View attachment 2461049

With 2 removable pieces on top
View attachment 2461053

During the day, I remove the heat plate from one side, to give them extra space for chick games & chest bumps. A couple of times a day, I let them play for a few minutes without the top and handle them, hand feed them, refill water, etc. At night, I leave a heat plate on each side.

Cute! Very similar to our laundry room brooder, and pretty much how we will be bedding down our chicks at night in the new coop we're almost done building. Tractor by day very soon, since we just hit one month.

Love those cones! Do they work well? I have the heater protector plastic I wash every morning.