Can you keep the brooder dry?

[potocki99]

We are upgrading our chicken/duck brooder because they outgrew it, and in so doing, I would like to know if it is possible to house the two with drier conditions? Has anyone come up with a solution to this? Thanks!

 

[Senna95]

I keep my waterer on a plant tray. That way all the spilled water will get caught by the tray rather than sloshed all over the brooder.

 

[Orca5094]

What kind of waterers are you using? And what kind of bedding? I think wood shavings work best for bedding. For waterers I like to use old plastic containers with lids for ducklings. Then cut a hole in the lid just big enough for them to fit their heads in to drink and clear out their nares (also be sure to upgrade the water bowl size and hole in the lid as they grow). This will help keep the spill factor down, and also prevent any of them from getting into the water bowl to splash about or get chilled.

 

[potocki99]

Right now we just have the standard mason jar with the plastic trough thing, but I'm finding the ducks find way too much enjoyment out of it and have to refill it multiple times during the day - which I figure is normal, but I can fill it right before bed and by morning it is bone dry with everyone super thirsty.

 

[Orca5094]

Right now we just have the standard mason jar with the plastic trough thing, but I'm finding the ducks find way too much enjoyment out of it and have to refill it multiple times during the day - which I figure is normal, but I can fill it right before bed and by morning it is bone dry with everyone super thirsty.

Ok. Those are really only good for chickens. Ducklings need a deeper water source so they can clean their eyes and clear out their nares. That is very important as they can get food stuck in their nares and also get eye infections if they aren't able to clean them off regularly. Do you have some old plastic containers of the appropriate size (with lids) you can make some waterers out of?

Ducklings also tend to just push all the water out of those mason jar type deals through the sides of their bills while they are dabbling in the water, making a big wet mess and emptying the water quickly.

Edit: I found an old pic with an example of the duckling waterers I use. Made from an old plastic ice cream carton. Deep enough for them to wash their face, but the hole is not big enough for them to get into to get wet or splash all the water out. (The water is yellow because it had vitamins added in.) You can also see I used little blankets under the water to help soak up any drips/spills. The rest of the brooder was wood shavings and stayed dry.

 

[potocki99]

Do you find that type of watered is still accessible for the chicks too?

 

[Vosh Sahaal]

I use one of the inverted tank waterers. I'm building a new brooder stack that has a couple feet of solid floor for bedding and a mesh floor for the food and water. Each level then has a drip pan underneath.

 

[Orca5094]

I use one of the inverted tank waterers. I'm building a new brooder stack that has a couple feet of solid floor for bedding and a mesh floor for the food and water. Each level then has a drip pan underneath.

That brooder design sounds awesome!

Do you find that type of watered is still accessible for the chicks too?

I don't have much experience with chicks, but I don't see why not. So long as they can reach the hole you have cut into the container lid. How many chicks and ducklings do you have? Would it be possible to split them up so the chicks can have more ideal conditions (dryer)? Ducklings are very messy and there will always be some wetness involved, but chicks are much cleaner and do better with dry conditions and bedding.