First time chicken owner brooder advice.

[neo71665]

My first brooder was a big cardboard box. Loose the duster but you will be fine.

 

[room onthebroom]

What works for some people doesn’t always work for others.

After brooding chicks for over a decade, I know what works for me. I like to share my experiences when asked & I try not to dis what works for other posters.

Good luck with your new adventure @Canadianhobbyfarmer1994 I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

 

[rosemarythyme]

What works for some people doesn’t always work for others.

After brooding chicks for over a decade, I know what works for me. I like to share my experiences when asked & I try not to dis what works for other posters.

Sorry I don't have as much experience as you or that you felt I was dismissing you. Either way like I said it's up to the OP to read and decide what's right for them.

 

[Carson213]

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do you have a coop? if you don’t already have birds, just put the heater in the coop...you don’t need a separate brooder if you don’t already have full sized birds.

 

[Carson213]

do you have a coop? if you don’t already have birds, just put the heater in the coop...you don’t need a separate brooder if you don’t already have full sized birds.

the brooder is to protect the chicks from temp and big birds...but if you have no other birds...just put the heater in the coop

 

[Carson213]

the brooder is to protect the chicks from temp and big birds...but if you have no other birds...just put the heater in the coop

you only need a separate brooder if you already have chickens...otherwise you just need heat

 

[Carson213]

This has never been my experience. The feather dusters have been a great addition to our brooders.

i have never heard of this. does it require no heat?

 

[Sally PB]

I had a large dog crate for a brooder too. I had cardboard on the inside up to the top about 3/4 of the way around, and then about 1/3 of the way up the rest. I duct taped it to the crate and taped the seams too. I used a heat lamp inside, raising it up as the temp needed to go down.

What I learned:

The dust still goes Every. Where. Ev.Er.Y Where. Oh well. Clean up later.

The heat lamp cost about $30 in electricity, and I worried a lot about fire danger, even with it secured as securely as possible. Got a brooder heat plate to use instead.

I want to spend more time handling my chicks this go around. My current flock are not lap chickens, though they will eat treats out of my hand. To make it easier, I'm putting the brooder out in the mud room. (I'm getting chicks in June.) Then I can shut the door, play with the chicks, and not have to close my dog in her crate.

 

[room onthebroom]

do you have a coop? if you don’t already have birds, just put the heater in the coop...you don’t need a separate brooder if you don’t already have full sized birds.

i have never heard of this. does it require no heat?

Yes, we have a few coops outside, but brood the babies in the house.

We still provide them heat. I prefer to use reptile heat lamps with their ceramic based hoods because they seem safer & have more diverse options than the big, red lamps at the feed store.

The duster gives them an instinctual place to hide & play. I use ostrich feathers because they are soft.

 

[Carson213]

Yes, we have a few coops outside, but brood the babies in the house.

We still provide them heat. I prefer to use reptile heat lamps with their ceramic based hoods because they seem safer & have more diverse options than the big, red lamps at the feed store.

The duster gives them an instinctual place to hide & play. I use ostrich feathers because they are soft.

i agree...the heat bulbs suck...if you only have one bulb and the bulb goes out, no heat...chicks die. i have had two heat bulbs go out...and the bulbs were new.