Do you think this will be ok as a brooder?

[amarook]

Hi, newbie here!
I'm getting my first 10 chicks tomorrow. I got my starter supplies. Waterer, chick feeder, chick grit, chick stater food, and a heat lamp.

I have an old toy box I was thinking about using for my brooder. But I just put the feeder and waterer in there, and it looks cramped to me.
Here's a link to a pic. (I haven't figured out how to post pics here yet.)

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...authkey=Gv1sRgCJL1xaT29JKlgAE&feat=directlink

Should I try to find something bigger to use?

Thanks in advance!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Looks like it will be okay for the first week.

 

[amarook]

They are already 4 days old.
SO I should probably try to find something bigger?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I would try to find something bigger. A large cardboard box will work.

 

[Wynette]

I would try to find something bigger, although this will work for maybe a week. Your waterer is too big, too - that's a gallon waterer, you really should use a chick waterer. THey're smaller, and the opening of the base is narrower to help avoid possible drowning. If they fall asleep and happen to have their head draped over the side of this one, they can easily drown.

 

[amarook]

oh...
I didn't know that.

That was the smallest waterer they had.

Is there a way to make a home made one for chicks?

 

[KansasChicks]

You could also try what I did, my waterer is the same as yours. I went to walmart and bought those colored glass rocks (dragon tears) and placed them in the bottom of the tray and I've had good luck so far.

 

[eschwaderer]

You can buy properly sized bases that use quart mason jars for about $3 at TSC if you have one in your area.

 

[SunshineSilkies]

It will be fine for a bit if you take that HUGE waterer out of there!!LOL! They are too young for baths yet!!

 

[RIVERA69R]

I use a 150gal reptile tank I use its 6ftx2ftx2ft high i have 8 chicks in there now just turned two weeks old ( buff orphingtons and barred rocks ) and they run around and have a great time in there I wouldnt want to go any smaller and every night we take them out to run around the room their in for an hour or so watching them and picking up poop all along the way!