BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
What a great idea!! I was wondering what to do when they outgrew the box I have for them. I can get those tubs at Family Dollar pretty cheap, and I never thought about putting two together.

Thanks for the idea <g>.

Peace -
Meriah

 

[Moselle]

Quote:
The only thing we worried about was the sharp edges from the cut plastic - it was more brittle than we expected. We covered the edges with duct tape and then some strong clear packaging tape. We're hoping the chicks don't get too curious and try to eat the tape.

We are happy that we can keep the chicks up high (and a little safer from our younger kids), but they can still see them well.

 

[Portia]

Below are a couple pictures of my brooder, its crude, but it works! Since this is my first trial at chickens I figured I'd go on the cheap (no pun intended) side. If I get into it (ha... but that is totally up to my dogs), then I'm sure my next brooder will be a more permanant structure.

I started with one box, compliments of our recently purchased miter saw. When the birds were almost a week old I quickly realized that they would need more space, so I scammed a discarded box from my DH air handling unit in his workshop and made a 2nd run. For fun I put a little door between the two to see what the chicks would do. Both boxes have a heat lamp, food, water and perches. I've found that the chicks use the newer box with the window for playing and I put their treats in there, but at night or when tired they retire to the original box for sleeping. It is very cute. They love to chase eachother from box to box and both allow some flying action (they both have screen tops that are removable).

 

[esuzabeth]

Just want to send out a big THANK YOU to everyone who has posted pics and info on this thread. I'm a first-time chicken mom and am nervous as any expectant mother could be. The variety and informality of everything I saw here helped me to relax bigtime! Getting ready for chick arrival within the next two weeks and am starting construction on the coop. It's so exciting! I was also able to find someone (somewhat) near me in New Mexico who is hatching a few chicks for me.

Backyard Chicken members, you ROCK!!!!

Suzie

 

[douglasobsharsky]

this is my first try posting my.... my coop is built... i just finished my brooder tonight and took some pics thanks for all the great ideas
this is a side view it's 60 inches x 32 inches and 18 inches tall

front of my brooder box with 2 glass window for your viewing pleasure

both sides open individually

with a divider in the middle i can keep them close for the first few weeks

divider out so they will have more room when they get bigger

front side with the top all the way off (2 glass windows)

removable divider

removable side door

in side no divider

removable top with hinges

top view

Thanks again i got all my ideas from this post. all i need now are my baby chicks. I'm getting 12 red and 13 black stars i hope they will like there temporary new home.

 

[JudyMcKinn]

Wow! That is a fantastic job. I'm sure the fuzzy kids will love it. Good luck with them.

 

[oztrich]

So, today is day 4 of being a chicken mom,

and the cardboard box just wasn't doing it. The DH was worried the dogs would knock the box over and the heat lamp would catch everything on fire... not to mention the un-mentionable that would probably happen to the chickies (fried chicken or death by dog

. )

I remembered I had a large bird/critter cage from when we took in a "found" ferret. The owner showed up 2 days after we bought the cage.

I made a trip to HD and bought a piece of plexiglass (edged in duct tape) and cut it to fit the front of the cage, so the dogs could look in and the babies could look out and not be startled so easily when someone walks by. Then I put cardboard draft-shields around the sides. The bottom slides out for cleaning, but I put duct tape around the edges until it's time to clean to lessen the pine shavings oozing out. The heat lamp is mounted securely to the top, aimed at a small cardboard box that I'm hoping they'll like to sleep in. That box might be too small, I'm not sure. Installed the perch, put the water up on a scrap piece of wood, added the babies after cuddling with each of them.

In a couple of weeks, I plan on re-vamping a little, putting the cage on it's back, moving the plexiglass to the end, and redoing the draft-shields. That will give them a bit more room, I believe. I'll give up the slide tray for cleaning, so I'm still thinking about what to do about that. I got some 1/4" hardware cloth that I'll put on the bottom so their little feets don't fall thru.

I truly want to thank each of you on this board

. I've learned so much (see above) from reading all the ideas and ingenuity.

I'd never have known to do all this without you all!

They look happy, don't they?

 

[plapczynski]

Here is mine. A 110 Gallon Water Trough:

 

[mac_chooks]

Love the tripod support for the roost in the post earlier!

I just moved mine up in size. I know I have only three but this brooder was looking way too small.

Now they are in more of an enclosed space with high walls (still need to get some chicken wire to at least put over the top when I'm not home in case one gets up and over!

I think they really needed the space because they were acting bored and wanting to fly a little. They only need to be inside another month or so.

I wanted to let them hang out outside today but it's cool and rainy. Next weekend perhaps.

 

[cgmccary]