MamaChick70
Chirping
I used a dog metal kennel last year, for 6 chicks and new I wanted something different if I got more chicksHello everyone!
I had several ideas about what to do for a brooder, then read someone's post about how they might use a dog crate ..... *ding!*..... we had a huge one in our garage I was about to list on craigslist! (FYI, it is 27" x 40" and we have 6 chicks) This was perfect for us, to protect the babies from our house dog and the two kids. I thought it might be useful for others to see how some of us have made a brooder and get some ideas, so I will start it out!
Here it is from the outside..... it is in our living room with the light mounted on the outside. As they have needed less heat I have slowly turned it to the left, lowering the temp each week.
Here is the inside. Thermometer is on the left (not in photo though!). Food and water are on a 4x4 post scrap to get it up a bit so they dont poop in it, or get shavings in it. We still wash out the water every day. It is also in the back so it stays cooler. I screwed in screws to hang the oak branch in there and they love it. The chick flapping is one of the two who are competing for the Queen of the Pecking Order. They fight for who is on the roost, and she is clearly telling the other one to get off! We use the deep litter method, and so need the bit of cardboard in the front to prevent shavings from coming out the front! We also stir it up everyday.
And here is our huge Lab protecting the babies.........actually, he is scared of them and backs away when we get them close to him, but he wants to look at them!
Can't wait to see everyone else's ideas!
They outgrew the kennel very fast especially when they started spreading their wings and do what chicks do.I enclosed last year brooder and the one I am using now. The second picture is before I placed the chicks in there. The last picture is with the 7 new girls some are still picture shy I feel they have plenty of room to grow and do the chick stuff
I have to still add the small roost for them.
It came with the grey “tarp” so to cut down the mess I placed that and a clear shower curtain on the top. I also placed cardboard around the bottom so no escapes happen, it will cut down on the dust too. The brooder has 4 doors, one on the roof , and one on the length side and one on the end. This will help me get them when they get bigger
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