DIY Thread - Let's see your "Inventions".

[GregT]

I like this idea .. The timer itself as part of the mechanism .. (thumbs up )

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Makes them easy to catch on processing day.... less trauma. Espeically if you have to do several. Some people use a small cage for the night before... its no different.

 

[mom of silkies]

Any ideas on a cheap nice brooder, I'm planning on making a wood box type thing, not a plastic bin one. Any ideas are very appreciated!

 

[MeepBeep]

Any ideas on a cheap nice brooder, I'm planning on making a wood box type thing, not a plastic bin one. Any ideas are very appreciated!

For chicks IMO you can't really beat plastic tubs for ease of cleaning and what not, for older birds, a simple wood frame with chicken wire works well...

This is what my grow out brooders/breeding pens look like...

 

[Phoenixxx]

Any ideas on a cheap nice brooder, I'm planning on making a wood box type thing, not a plastic bin one. Any ideas are very appreciated!

I use a 40 gallon breeder aquarium as well as a critter nation cage. The aquarium is less dusty and perfect for up to 2-3 weeks old. The cage is better for the bigger kids as long as the sides are draped to control dust etc. For the aquarium, my heat lamp is hung off the wall at just the right height; when I was using the cage for newborns, I wired the light to the roof of the cage with coat hanger pieces and it was the perfect height for 99¤ at bed level. These aren't exactly cheap options if you had to go out and buy them specifically for the purpose, but if you or someone you know has such things lying around unused they are Actually, now that I think about it, a rabbit/guinea pig cage would work really well, too, because the base is high-sided and will minimize dust and retain heat. Again, can be a very cheap option unless you actually have to go to the pet store and buy new.

 

[MeepBeep]

These aren't exactly cheap options if you had to go out and buy them specifically for the purpose, but if you or someone you know has such things lying around unused they are

You just need to find someone that is realistic when it comes to selling used fish tanks... Petco has dollar a gallon sale for brand new tanks up to 55 gallons regularly in the US, there is no reason a used tank should be anywhere near that price, yet I'm well aware that many people think they are gold plated...

There is a ma/pa pet store by me that take in used pets and cages, they regularity have used 55 gallon tanks for $10-$15 and used guinea pig cages for $20 give or take... The only catch is they don't bother cleaning it, you get what you get...

 

[mom of silkies]

For chicks IMO you can't really beat plastic tubs for ease of cleaning and what not, for older birds, a simple wood frame with chicken wire works well...

This is what my grow out brooders/breeding pens look like...

That is great! Should I have a smaller tub like one for when they're tiny, than a larger one for when they get to big for the tub?

 

[Phoenixxx]

That is great! Should I have a smaller tub like one for when they're tiny, than a larger one for when they get to big for the tub?

I prefer the tub type/aquarium for any chicks residing in the house; however, it's not practical for me at the moment because I did two large hatches back-to-back. Plus the aquarium only holds so many and once they start flying at two weeks, then it's disaster in the house because i don't have a cover for it. Normally my 3-week-olds would be out in the coop with the elders right now but we're still hovering around the freezing mark and they complain when I drop their room temperature below 15c.

 

[MeepBeep]

That is great! Should I have a smaller tub like one for when they're tiny, than a larger one for when they get to big for the tub?

That is what I do, this is there 'starter' brooder, a tub on a wire rack shelf, shelf is adjusted to the right height and becomes the lid...

I also have one of these left over from my days selling exotic animals, it's a dog/cat store display cage, I flip it upright so the door are on top... Not real practical for those that don't have one as they are costly but it does work well...

 

[mom of silkies]

That is what I do, this is there 'starter' brooder, a tub on a wire rack shelf, shelf is adjusted to the right height and becomes the lid...



I also have one of these left over from my days selling exotic animals, it's a dog/cat store display cage, I flip it upright so the door are on top... Not real practical for those that don't have one as they are costly but it does work well...

That's a great idea! I like the second one, just because of the hinged door, I'm trying to figure how to make one kind of like the second one, any suggestions on how I could do that?