Does my brooder look alright?

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

Hello everyone! In a couple days I am bringing home some eggs, and wanted to know if you guys thought my brooder looks ok. Do I need to add anything? Take something away? Change something? This is my first time having chicks so I really apreciate the help. Instead of using a heat lamp I am using a heating pad and blanket in a dog bed. So you guys think that looks good? Thanks guys!

Overall view

I made them a chick jungle gym! Look good?

Play and toy area

Food and heating

And I am going to add some more natural play things to. Like some pine needle branches and rocks and sticks. What do you guys think?

 

[SilverBirds]

That is a chick brooder paradise. They don't need the plastic toys but they may peck t them. Is there a heat source in the house?

 

[mrskenmore]

Hello everyone! In a couple days I am bringing home some eggs, and wanted to know if you guys thought my brooder looks ok. Do I need to add anything? Take something away? Change something? This is my first time having chicks so I really apreciate the help. Instead of using a heat lamp I am using a heating pad and blanket in a dog bed. So you guys think that looks good? Thanks guys!

Overall view
View attachment 3070929

I made them a chick jungle gym! Look good?
View attachment 3070930

Play and toy area
View attachment 3070931

Food and heating
View attachment 3070932


And I am going to add some more natural play things to. Like some pine needle branches and rocks and sticks. What do you guys think?

Wow! You put a lot of effort into that! can I come and live in your brooder?

How many eggs are you getting and when are you setting them to hatch?

I think I would remove all of the decorations in the beginning as baby chicks need to become aware of their surroundings and get accustomed to what and where the food is as well as the water.

After the first week or two you can start adding in items to stimulate them- a small roost, ping pong balls, mirrors etc.

For the heat source, I understand you do not want to do a heat lamp (I too have not had one with my last batch of baby chicks)

I would recommend using a Brinsea Eco Glow

https://www.chewy.com/brinsea-ecogl...4uDlcm3XV-Q4GpnbRmuTEOQSMdjzQbdsaArLVEALw_wcB

to provide safe and ambient heat for them. They need to be 95 degrees for the first week and then decrease by 5 degrees each week, the Eco Glow provides that for them. Since your sides are open, you may want to ensure that there are no drafts on your babies too.

Here are some great articles on setting up your brooder.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/brooding-chicks-the-first-6-weeks.74640/

https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g8351

Most of all, enjoy them- they grow fast and take lots of photos and videos!

 

[Kiki]

Cardboard is slippery.
I see a cardboard ramp that should be removed immediately. That is an injury waiting to happen with the baby chick's leg.


I would remove all of the cardboard and use it to put along the edges of the cage because the chicks are going to squeeze right through those bars.


I would remove all of the toys.

 

[nuthatched]

You certainly but a lot of effort into that, however the toys are unnecessary, the cardboard is too slick and could cause leg issues and there's a small chance they could eat the shavings. The chicks could get through the bars and it also leaves them open for drafts, use the cardboard to block the sides. However, that putting the cart before the horse, what type of incubator are you using?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I agree with the above that while fun, most of that stuff will just be confusing and maybe even dangerous for day old chicks. They can hardly walk-they're not ready for a chicken obstacle course lol. I use wood shavings but I put paper towels underneath to keep them from slipping on the cardboard and I use an old appliance box as a brooder. Once they start getting feathers (about the second week), they will quickly become ugly teenagers throwing dust all over your house. Very fine, very smelly, very not healthy for humans to breathe all day dust. So while I appreciate all the effort and love that went into this I think the toys will be better for later and brooding chicks in the house is not a lesson you want to learn the hard way. Especially next to a bed. The dust will never come out. My first chicks brooded in the laundry room and every batch since considers themselves lucky to grow up in the garage haha

 

[mrskenmore]

I second the paper towels the first week or so, also is a great indicator of their health since you can keep an eye on their poop!

 

[MottsHomestead]

Hello everyone! In a couple days I am bringing home some eggs, and wanted to know if you guys thought my brooder looks ok. Do I need to add anything? Take something away? Change something? This is my first time having chicks so I really apreciate the help. Instead of using a heat lamp I am using a heating pad and blanket in a dog bed. So you guys think that looks good? Thanks guys!

Overall view
View attachment 3070929

I made them a chick jungle gym! Look good?
View attachment 3070930

Play and toy area
View attachment 3070931

Food and heating
View attachment 3070932


And I am going to add some more natural play things to. Like some pine needle branches and rocks and sticks. What do you guys think?

I see a lot of extra stuff that shouldn't be in there. Especially all that cardboard. They're not gonna use it and it's dangerous; so please remove it.

And those toys, like the octopus and rubber duckie and plastic plants and eggs. PLEASE take them out. The chicks are chicks, not human babies. They don't need colorful toys. They need food and water and bedding and maybe a wooden perch or two but that's IT. Anything else takes up space and is redundant. Possibly even dangerous in the case of these objects.

 

[Ebony Rose]

That cardboard ramp could be fixed with some course grit sandpaper affixed to it, gritty side exposed. Would give them loads of traction.

 

[MottsHomestead]

All the things I see that are hazardous and not beneficial: