Brooder

[aart]

I used a 20 gallon fish tank for my first three hatches. My current hatch is much larger, so I frankenstein'd a plastic tote into a brooder.
View attachment 1964403

What are the dimension of this? How do you provide heat without cooking them?

Can't say, I use metric, I don't know what gallons are.

It’s 72x30X30 cm

28x11x11 inches = ~15 gallons.

 

[Nabiki]

Oh I like that! Does the top swing open? I may have to find a tote like that.

The top swings open. The 20 gallon fish tank was good for small hatches (it was good for up to 15 newly hatched chicks, but they needed to move out at around 2 and a half weeks). I have 49 fertile eggs due to hatch this weekend, so I'm hoping the bigger tote will work.

Edit: My tote is 30.75" wide, 19.25" deep, 18.75" high. 127 quart size.

For heating I use a heat lamp with one of these instead of a bulb. That way they get heat without light. I keep a thermometer so I know what temperature it's at, and I keep the lamp at one end of the brooder so they have a warm side and a cool side. They can move to where it's comfortable for them.

 

[Nabiki]

Here are a couple of pictures with the heat lamp inside. I have chicks due to hatch this weekend, so it's set up, but not plugged in yet. As the chicks grow, I start moving the heat lamp up until it's sitting on top of the hardware cloth rather than inside the brooder.

The chicks are usually fine with room temperature by two and half to three weeks? I don't keep track exactly, I just watch their behaviour. If they're stretched out or panting, they're too hot. If they're huddled together, constantly fighting for a middle spot and not sleeping, they're too cold.

 

[Nabiki]

Oops! Forgot the pictures!

 

[DoozyWombat]

I'll be interested to see how this works for you. I'm getting 34 chicks in March, and I'm planning to use the rolled cardboard for a large brooder space in my barn, lined with pine shavings. I'm building a warmer from a back pad. If it's not enough warmth for the whole brood, I have a couple of space heaters I can aim at the area, so the chicks have a comfort gradient.

I'm also putting a couple of baby-sized perches in there, to help them get used to being off the floor.

 

[Quailobsessed]

I'll be interested to see how this works for you. I'm getting 34 chicks in March, and I'm planning to use the rolled cardboard for a large brooder space in my barn, lined with pine shavings. I'm building a warmer from a back pad. If it's not enough warmth for the whole brood, I have a couple of space heaters I can aim at the area, so the chicks have a comfort gradient.

I'm also putting a couple of baby-sized perches in there, to help them get used to being off the floor.

Are you getting quail chicks to raise? Because some quails (kings, japs...) just don't perch.

 

[DoozyWombat]

Are you getting quail chicks to raise? Because some quails (kings, japs...) just don't perch.

No, just chickens. CX mostly as a meat run, but some Dark Brahmas and a few Buff Orps, which will constitute the egg and meat flock going forward.

 

[007Sean]

Oops! Forgot the pictures!View attachment 1965028 View attachment 1965029

Do you have a door on the side of the tote? In the pic I don't see one! It's a pain to take the top off everytime you want to feed/water/ clean or just handle the chicks.

ETA - nevermind I read your other post.