Cardboard brooder box just caught fire !!!

[speckledhen]

Oh, Henry, I just saw this! What a scare you had! I use a wooden and wire rabbit hutch we bought at a garage sale to brood chicks. I think making one of wood and hardware wire is probably the safest thing. Even plastic can melt under a heatlamp. I want Tom to build me a big brooder on legs in the bsmt for next spring.

 

[hcammack]

I think I am going to go look at the brooder post about diffrent designs now. Get some ideas I only need a small space I brood at most three times a year in batches between three and ten chicks so I don't have the need for a big brooder.

Henry

 

[UrbanMama]

We have a 100 gallon aquarium as stage 1, a huge dog crate as stage 2 (which they have at Ocean State Job Lot for 55$ if you have one nearby) and the 3rd stage is a 6 sided childrens play yard(plastic) BY the last stage, they shouldn't need a light or not much of one.

Good luck and I'm so glad you caught this in time.

 

[hcammack]

Thanks urban mom!

 

[hcammack]

Here are the chicks that were saved from the brooder fire today outside in the tractor. This will be were they live after week three !

Thanks,
Henry

 

[Solsken Farm]

Poor you! Poor babies!

Do you have a thermometer in your brooder, Henry? How high did you have your light?

I have read to have them at least 18 inches above the bottom of the brooder. Too close and even woodchips could ignite.

These questions are for me and everyone else as much as you. I am trying to figure out how this happened to you. I have plywood underneath woodchips on my brooder in the house. This stuff scares me.

I also have a heat lamp out in the coop for my 7 week old Marans.

I am so glad you, your family and the chicks are all okay.

 

[jossanne]

I've got 14 12-day-old chicks in a big pumpkin box for a brooder right now, and I'm using a heating pad turned on low for them. It seems to work very well.

My heat lamp has a 75 watt bulb, and is hanging over another 10 12-day-old chicks in a rubbermaid tote. I will watch it carefully.

 

[tfpets]

I am so glad everyone is okay!! Thank goodness! Fire is so devastating, and is one of my worst fears.
I hope you are developing a safe brooder for your babies, take care,

Tina

 

[hcammack]

Thanks I could not find any metal but found a huge plastic brooder at walmart.
Solsken my light was at least 18 inches above the bottom of the brooder I had a thermometer in but I took it out the night before this occured. I am pretty sure the ignition occured because I was careless about reataching the light after the chicks had been out in the tractor with it. The light was atached to a separate stand and therefore was able to get to close to the box. I believe that if it had been atached to the box it would not have been able to get close enough to ignite.

Thanks for all your advice and help,
Henry

 

[Fudgie]

I will get a picture of my rubbermaid container brooders when i get home tonight. My hubby put quite a fancy setup for the lid so the light is ABOVE the box and away from the plastic. It is set up so you can have it close for the first few days then raise it so they still get some heat but not so much so they get used to normal temperatures. Again, I will post it tonight, pretty slick........for a guy!!!! LOL

Just kidding!