Gotta get a new brooder, advice needed

[sonjab314]

I asked my hubby to go out and get my brooder from last year because I have eggs in lockdown. My brooder is actually a recycled lizard cage with a nice mesh top. It's like a long fish tank and the size is just perfect for maintaining the correct temps for the babies. Back to my story......He came inside and told me that it was broke!! He left it out behind his shed all winter and the ice cracked it

. Now I don't know what I'm gonna do. I have a parrot brooder that I will more than likely use until Friday. Then I intend (unless something better comes up) on getting a rubbermaid tub, cut a huge hole in the lid and line the lid with hardwire cloth (I have an inside dog that likes the taste of little chickens). Anyway, I need some advice. I've always used regular bulbs to heat the brooder that worked perfectly but I know the new brooder will need more heat. What size brooders do you have and what size lamp do you use to keep it warm? I am open to any and all ideas. Thank you in advance. I am also gonna go check out the brooder pages too.

 

[Judy]

I used one 250W heat lamp at the end of a large L shaped box that I pieced together of cardboard and duct tape -- big pieces, from shipping a mattress. The lamp was right above one end, at first, but quickly raised because no one would get under it after a few days. Mostly they slept on the other end of the L even after raising it. They seemed to want the temp to be 10 degrees less than the low end of recommended. So, 95-100 first week but they wanted 85.

You may not need any more than you've used in the past.