Critique my brooder

[eellsworth]

Hi all! I'm new to chicken raising, and I'm planning on getting my first flock on Friday. The plan right now is to get 4 sex-link hens. This is what I have waiting for them on Friday.

There is a thermometer in the corner by the heat lamp. I'm going to test it out tonight and see how hot it gets.

Is it at all reasonable to expect that by the time they grow out of this cage I can put them outside?

 

[mommto3kiddos]

Looks GREAT!!.. But I must say I had 6 sexlinks in a brooder that size and they outgrew it in 2.5 to 3 weeks! Cant wait to see pics of your new babies!!

 

[CCourson05]

Looks alright. I would point the light straight down though... You don't want the feed and water to be directly under the light... It will spoil and start stinking...

 

[terrilhb]

It is awesome. But one question where are you going to keep the brooder? If it is outside in a building you will need hardware cloth. I only say this cause last year when we got our 1st chicks we used chicken wire. And a nasty snake got in and ate one of my babies. Just wanted to give you a heads up. Good luck did not mean to be a downer.

from Ga

 

[eellsworth]

Quote:
A snake?! That's awful! The brooder will be inside at all times. No predators getting there. (I hope!)

 

[Celtic Chick]

Looks almost exactly like my brooder, but possibly a bit smaller. I raised 6 production reds in there, and have 4 chicks in there now.
I'd ditch the towel & get pine shavings, 2 to 3" deep. NOT cedar.

Much easier to clean.
Good info:
http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-care/chapter-4-caring-for-baby-chicks.aspx
http://www.tractorsupply.com/content/knowhow/chicks/livestock_care_caring_for_new_chicks
http://www.motherearthnews.com/city.../are-you-ready-for-chickens-chickens-101.aspx
http://www.motherearthnews.com/basic-country-skills/get-started-with-chickens.aspx
Good luck & enjoy your babies!

 

[CCourson05]

Quote:
This is an issue where I live also... About a month ago, I killed a copperhead by the chicken's run... And then, I found one of my guinea nest with a chicken snake coiled on top... If I were to keep them in an out building, I would have to worry about that too.. I keep them on my porch though...

 

[Lurach]

Hi from another newbie!! That looks like the same cage I have my chicks in.

I'm far from being an expert, but here are a couple of things:

What wattage bulb is in your light? With it that close to the top of the cage, I'm afraid a heat bulb might melt the plastic coating on the wire and create a fire hazard. I have a 75 watt bulb in mine now, and it does fine, but doesn't produce as much heat as you'll need to start with. You might want to put something around the lighted side of the brooder to help keep in warmth so you can raise the light a bit.

You also might want to get some pine shavings for their bedding. I just can't see keeping a towel clean with 4 chicks living in there 24/7. Put down paper towels over the pine shavings for the first week, so your chicks won't think they're food.

I would move the food and water to the side of the brooder farthest from the lamp. The water heats up really quickly under those heat lamps, and chicks don't like drinking warm water. You may also want to raise the containers up on something to reduce the amount of shavings that get kicked into them. I taught my chicks to drink from a rabbit water bottle, because I was constantly cleaning out the water supply.

I don't know the answer to your question about outgrowing the cage. But I think it's great that you have your brooder set up before you bring chicks home! I didn't, and I had to scramble to get everything together for mine. Welcome to the wonderful world of chickens!!

 

[SIMPleChick]

yeah, light straignt down and I like to keep my food and water on the opposite side from the light. towels are nice and soft and warm! I like to put a box lid full of fluff in my brooder too so they can scratch to the bottom, burry themselves, give themselves a fluff bath (SO CUTE!) and fall asleep there with it semi-under the lamp....But thats just me! Good Job! Have fun with your little babies!

 

[CCourson05]

Quote:
What do you mean "fluff"? I want to give mine some... Lol.