Does my brooder look alright?

[MottsHomestead]

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

I agree, but I doubt the chicks will use that to much of an extent anywyas. Mine take weeks to even bother using the simple perch I have in my brooder.

 

[samanthaoverton]

Heating pads have a safety feature that shuts off...

 

[Battlepants]

If you want to give them some enrichment for their environment, what I like to do is grab a stick with some leaves on it from the yard and drop that one in there every couple of days. They will strip all of the leaves off of it, so do in moderation, but is quite fun to watch them discover this new thing.

But yea, when designing a brooder/coop/run/etc, ask yourself - what do chickens DO? The answers to this question will point you in the right direction to what they will want in terms of thing in their environment.

Chickens will: *not exhaustive, just some examples
Eat - so obviously food in a form appropriate to their age
Drink - so water
Perch - a practice roost bar would be nice
Sleep - well, this can happen pretty much anywhere as long as they are safe, but kinda leads into the next one
Hide - having a place to dart into and hunker down is good
Scratch - having some deep bedding is good for this, they like to find things under the scratching area, but don't HAVE to
Dust bathe - having some sand or otherwise dry area for them to roll around in is good for mite removal

 

[Ebony Rose]

Dust bathe - having some sand or otherwise dry area for them to roll around in is good for mite removal

They constantly molt while little too, so that sand will help them scratch away their baby fuzz and baby feathers and help promote healthy skin and feathers as they grow back in.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't think everything needs to go, but the biggest safety hazards at a glance are the plastic aquarium plants (they could snap off tiny pieces and fill up their crop with them) and the strings holding up some of the toy items (string shouldn't be used around animals as a general rule, as they will try to eat it, and then cannot pass it).

The cardboard items you made can be used when they're a little bigger, but I'd remove them for now, or reuse that cardboard to cover up more of the sides as those wire gaps are big enough for chicks to pass through (or worse, get stuck).

Most of the other stuff they just won't use, so it just takes up space. And they'll poop on it of course.

Heating pads have a safety feature that shuts off...

Not all of them, as long as OP gets one that does not have auto shut off it's fine.

 

[3KillerBs]

In addition to the above, all the cloth items will be permanently ruined by sticky chick poop and the fuzz of the dog bed will wind around their toes -- at best trapping them in distress, at worst causing them to break legs or have toes or even entire feet get their circulation cut off and die.

Here are some brooder photos to look at:

 

[samanthaoverton]

I wish I could get a hold of one that doesn't shut off..the bulk of them do..that and stove eyes that shut off at boiling point annoying.

I don't think everything needs to go, but the biggest safety hazards at a glance are the plastic aquarium plants (they could snap off tiny pieces and fill up their crop with them) and the strings holding up some of the toy items (string shouldn't be used around animals as a general rule, as they will try to eat it, and then cannot pass it).

The cardboard items you made can be used when they're a little bigger, but I'd remove them for now, or reuse that cardboard to cover up more of the sides as those wire gaps are big enough for chicks to pass through (or worse, get stuck).

Most of the other stuff they just won't use, so it just takes up space. And they'll poop on it of course.

Not all of them, as long as OP gets one that does not have auto shut off it's fine.

 

[Happy hen lover]

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.

I agree with these suggestions. That ramp is scary! Chicks legs are so fragile and yes they will squish through cage. You could give them upside down tuna can to peck at. Mine loved it. Watch the water as it will get dirty fast, soon you can elevate it and that helps. I know your excited about them coming but their needs are pretty basic at first.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I wish I could get a hold of one that doesn't shut off.

Sunbeam makes one that doesn't, though it's bigger than I want (12"x24" I think). So I just did a search on Amazon until I find a cheap, smaller one that fits the bill. Not sure what the brand of my current one is, I think my hubby stole it haha.

Obviously I test it thoroughly before I get chicks to make sure it works properly and stays on.

 

[samanthaoverton]

Sunbeam makes one that doesn't, though it's bigger than I want (12"x24" I think). So I just did a search on Amazon until I find a cheap, smaller one that fits the bill. Not sure what the brand of my current one is, I think my hubby stole it haha.

Obviously I test it thoroughly before I get chicks to make sure it works properly and stays on.

Sounds good to me. My shoulders hurt sometimes...I've burned one out.