brooder

[journey137]

I was planning on using an old small animal cage I that used to house my hedgehog years ago so I measured it and it's only about 28"x19" on the inside. Since we are potentially getting around 20 chicks, my reading tells me that's too small for an effective brooder. Would it be crazy to use our tiled shower stall? Would I need to put a ceiling of sorts on it? It has sliding glass doors and then is open up to the ceiling so theoretically they could fly out I suppose, but can they really fly enough for that to be a concern? I would probably need to put some sort of something (cardboard?) to block the little pointy metal edges on the bottom of the shower doors. It's a very irregular size, but it's approximately 53"x43". If I put a plastic shower curtain down on the bottom, tape the edges, and then put some bedding material on top of that, would it work as a brooder? I also have an old dog crate that a great dane mix used. I don't know the exact size, but I could measure it if you guys think it would be a better bet than the shower. I'm guessing it's around 4 feet by something less than 3 feet, probably around 2.5 feet ish. I feel like it would be a pain to clean because I'd have to crawl in the door since it only has a door on one side, but if that's the best option, I can put up with that for about six weeks. Our coop will not have electricity so I'm guessing they are going to have to stay inside until they have their feathers. So what is my best option? The shower stall? The dog crate? Start in the small animal cage and then move to one of the other options or even just outside to the coop? I looked at the hatchery's availability spreadsheet and it looks like mid June is likely the soonest we could get chicks so it's plenty warm by that point. Perhaps I could use the small animal cage inside for a while and then stick the dog crate outside in the coop when they outgrow the little cage? I've taken care of other people's grown chicken flocks for extended periods before, but I've never messed with chicks before and I'm afraid of killing them all due to my own ignorance.

 

[chickenlittle21]

I recommend just using an extra large moving box.

 

[Jan Croot]

". Would it be crazy to use our tiled shower stall? Would I need to put a ceiling of sorts on it? "

If it is crazy then I am crazy. For winter broods I use the shower stall in my laundry room for the "food and water" part of the duck brooder, and stick a long box in the door way for the dry part of the unit.

I found that no taping worked due the inevitable damp. I just lay a cut garbage bag on the floor. with holes poked over the drain. When disgusting, I just roll it it and toss it in the garbage and shower down any that snuck under.

Ceiling? depends on the ambient temp of your house and age of the birds. I discovered that my fire place tool stand works wonderfully for attaching a heat lamp to hang over the dry part of the box.

Keep in mind that as feathers come in there will be bursts of poultry dander over EVERYTHING. Bad for your lungs.

 

[journey137]

I recommend just using an extra large moving box.

For 20 chicks how big would the box need to be? When I've moved in the past, I always used egg boxes and they are smaller than any of the options I mentioned.

 

[journey137]

". Would it be crazy to use our tiled shower stall? Would I need to put a ceiling of sorts on it? "

If it is crazy then I am crazy. For winter broods I use the shower stall in my laundry room for the "food and water" part of the duck brooder, and stick a long box in the door way for the dry part of the unit.

I found that no taping worked due the inevitable damp. I just lay a cut garbage bag on the floor. with holes poked over the drain. When disgusting, I just roll it it and toss it in the garbage and shower down any that snuck under.

Ceiling? depends on the ambient temp of your house and age of the birds. I discovered that my fire place tool stand works wonderfully for attaching a heat lamp to hang over the dry part of the box.

Keep in mind that as feathers come in there will be bursts of poultry dander over EVERYTHING. Bad for your lungs.

I like the garbage bag idea. That's even easier than a shower curtain! Our house is kept at 68F when the heat is on and 73F when the ac is on. There is an electrical outlet not far from that shower so adding a little heat lamp won't be hard. I was asking if I need a ceiling more to deter escape by flying if that's a thing for birds of that age. From what I've read birds get kicked out by 6 weeks old because they have their feathers by then. I'm guessing flight is not an issue, but if it is, I need to start thinking about how to put a top on it. I'm not worried about poultry dander. We already have a cat, dog, and firefighter in our house, lol.

 

[Jan Croot]

life is too short to scrape bird poo off of brooders and plastic. I always go for something disposible.

 

[50-45-1]

You should not have to worry about your chicks flying out of their brooder for a couple weeks after they arrive. I always move my chicks out of the house a 2 weeks.
Do you have chickens in your coop now?
If not i would be spending time getting it ready, plenty of people put chicks directly in their coop along with your heat source. It really depends on the particular coop setup.
My chicks go out at two weeks but the heat lamp goes with them. I have 4 different bulbs i can adjust for heat needs.
I also use a large carboard box as a brooder. I cut the bottom out or flip the box over and
Lay it on multiple layers of newspaper i have laid down. Cut a door and an opening in the top for heat lamp. Each day i just pull about 3 layers of newspaper out, refresh food and water. The first 2 daYs be sure to put some paper towel down to give chicks more grip to avoid spradle leg. After that put a couple handfulls of pine shavings in.
Are you ordering from hatchery?
What kinds are you getting?

 

[journey137]

...
If not i would be spending time getting it ready, plenty of people put chicks directly in their coop along with your heat source. It really depends on the particular coop setup.
My chicks go out at two weeks but the heat lamp goes with them. I have 4 different bulbs i can adjust for heat needs.
...
Are you ordering from hatchery?
What kinds are you getting?

No current chickens and no electric to put a heater out there either.

We are going to probably order from Cackle Hatchery since we can drive there to pick up. The plan is five each of Wyandotte, speckled Sussex, barred rock, and Rhode Island Red unless someone convinces me a single breed would be better. I know the RIR can maybe be mean, but I have a pressure cooker that has yet to produce a tough piece of meat if they start attacking kids. We plan to have a good sized run, but when we are home which is usually, to free range.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since you mentioned the chicks will be coming in summer, it'll be plenty warm enough to be moving them out well in advance of 6 weeks.

I raised my first batch in a bathtub. Expect to be cleaning out the shower and the walls really well once they move out (they can get dander some 6'+ up and out from their location)

For 20 chicks I'd aim for at least 4x4 to start, so the shower is just about big enough, that'll work for about 2-3 weeks. After that you'll need to bump up to around 20 sq ft. or move em out.

 

[journey137]

Since you mentioned the chicks will be coming in summer, it'll be plenty warm enough to be moving them out well in advance of 6 weeks.

I raised my first batch in a bathtub. Expect to be cleaning out the shower and the walls really well once they move out (they can get dander some 6'+ up and out from their location)

For 20 chicks I'd aim for at least 4x4 to start, so the shower is just about big enough, that'll work for about 2-3 weeks. After that you'll need to bump up to around 20 sq ft. or move em out.

Thanks! I was hoping I could get them out sooner than 6 weeks. Dander cleans so I'm not too worried about it, but I will probably need to get out my step stool if it goes that high a bit vertically challenged over here, lol.