Does an aquarium make a good brooder?

[Fluttershy]

Preparing to bring home my two RIR chicks on or before August 13, only two. We're getting everything ready so does a 10 gal. aquarium make a good brooder?
Thanks for all your good advice!

Vivian

 

[CAjerseychick]

Still alittle small I think and traps moisture- Why not just use a large cardboard box- just go to Costco or Sams Club or some other big box store...and get an oversize box and then when you are done, you can recycle it...

 

[Ridgerunner]

Many people use aquariums but my concern is that they can be heat traps. Heat is more dangerous to the chicks that a little cool. I find the best and safest brooders are big enough that you can heat one area to the right temperature but the rest can cool down quite a bit below that. The chicks will find their comfort zone that way and you don't have to worry about keeping the brooder the perfect temperature.

I know you only have two chicks, but don't let that lull you intio thinking a tiny brooder is OK. That cardboard box idea is a good one. A big cardboard box is better than a small one.

My brooder, 3' x 6', is in the coop. I usually have 15 to 20 or more chicks at a time, but I brood them in all kinds of weather. I only keep one area warm and let the rest cool off to ambient. Sometimes the nighttine lows are in the 40's and those chicks are fine as long as they have a warm area to go to. You'd be amazed at how much time those chicks play in the cooler areas, but they do need a warm spot to go to if they need to warm up.

 

[Fluttershy]

Alright thanks for the advice. Will the boxes catch on fire by any chance? I do have a sterilite tub that I can use.....But whatever is better. I know the feedstore I'm getting the chicks from use the tubs as brooders but whatever you think is best

 

[Fluttershy]

For a smaller amount of chicks, We're planning on a red bulb but because we only will have two, will a 25 watt bulb work? Because I used a 25 watt in my past incubator we used a 25 watt and the temperature was a good 101 decrees F. So I am wondering if that will work

 

[clogan98]

I have four chicks in a 30 gallon aquarium. I'm using a 100 watt bulb for heat and only need to use it at night as during the day I have them outside in a pen. It's working fine for us. I like that I can see them and it entertains my daughter without her having her hands in the tank. I have no trouble with excessive heat. I'm using pine shavings for litter. I clean it out every two days (I hate any kind of animal smell. You probably don't need to but it's been hot out, they are in my living room, and I don't want to risk the odor). It's easy to clean. I would not advise a 10 gallon. WAY too small, even for only two chicks. My 30 gallon is three feet long so it's good sized. But they are quickly outgrowing it.

 

[Fluttershy]

Oh I know I am not going to use a 10 gal aquarium. I'll probably end up using a sterilite tub. But is a 25 watt red bulb okay for these two chicks? Like I said, I used a 25 watt bulb in my incubator and it easily rose above 100 decrees F. (I won't let it do that in my brooder)

 

[CatUT]

I use an old 100 gal aquarium to brood my chicks. It's perfect for 10 chickens. However, I can't put any more than that in there. I also have a small coop that I put them in when they're fully featherd and getting ready to start intoductions to the main flock.

 

[Fluttershy]

Can someone PLEASE answer my question! I asked if a 25 watt red bulb will work for two small chicks. Thanks for all the help, but I am not using an aquarium for the brooder. I am using a sterilite bin.

I used a 25 watts with an incubator and it provided a stable 100 decrees F.

 

[CAjerseychick]

Can someone PLEASE answer my question! I asked if a 25 watt red bulb will work for two small chicks. Thanks for all the help, but I am not using an aquarium for the brooder. I am using a sterilite bin.

I used a 25 watts with an incubator and it provided a stable 100 decrees F.

It depends.... If your brooder is Huge it may not be warm enough, in a tiny space probably ok to heat up a corner-- as the experienced folks will tell you-- let the chicks' behavior inform you-- if they are huddled directly beneath it squished together at all times they are too cold-- if they are too hot they will flee the area at all times and stay as far away as space allows(so you need a bigger space so they can have a warm corner and a cool area as well)-- it depends on what you decide as a brooder...