brooder

[Akane]

Would a dog soft crate work as a brooder for up to 18 bantams? I have one similar to this laying around
http://www.choicepets.co.uk/images/prod/15520f.jpg except mine has a solid back and half the top. It's 19x23x30H. The front and top unzips. I'd just have to patch a small hole caused by some orphaned baby cottontails I was using it for.

What should I use for heat? I tried a standard table lamp with 60w bulb and the highest the thermometer got to was 85F with the lamp in the crate.

 

[ChickenToes]

I don't know if that would work too well as a brooder, it looks like it would be very difficult to clean. Remember, you can always use a large, heavy-duty cardboard box as a brooder, they work really well.

The best thing to do for heat is to go to a hardware store and buy a work light with a clamp on the end. The light should have a metal shield around the bulb. The shield helps focus the light down into the brooder, and you can just clamp the lamp right onto the top/side of your brooder. I use a regular 100 watt bulb.