how much will it cost to set up a brooder?

[nova022]

thank you!
i appreciate you help!

This is my set up for brooding 5 chicks to six weeks when they had enough feathers to go out side. They could have gone a little sooner but our coop was not quite ready. The tote was $8.00, the wire for the top was a piece that was left over from another project but it was $8.00 for the roll. The pine shavings were $4.00 and it was enough to get me through the brooding period with some left for the next batch of chicks that used the brooder. The feeder and water were under $10.00 from TSC and they were reused for the next batch as well. The dowel for the roost and the thermometer were another $6.00 for both. I did not buy the light fixture, so I do not know how much it cost. I did use 90, 75, and 60 watt bulbs to adjust the temperature rather than moving the fixture. With the food I think the $60-$70 dollar range is a reasonable estimate. I feel it was money well spent as it is on its third batch of babies and I only needed more food and pine shavings for the last two batches.

 

[4Hgirl]

The lid idea is brilliant! We use a similar tub and when they get big enough to jump out we struggle with something safe to cover it with. I like the plastic tub rather than cardboard boxes because we can wash them easily and I don't have to search for cardboard boxes.

 

[ChickDrmr]

Including my 5 chicks, 1 heat lamp, a 25 pound bale of pine shavings, 25lb bag of chick feed, feeder and waterer it cost roughly $60. I used a plastic storage tote for their brooder.

Same here. Actually got a pretty good deal on a 50gallon tote at Lowes.

 

[Ivy MG]

i all ready have the box i just need to know about the other stuff

 

[V-NH]

I have two brooders. Both are 110 gallon stock tanks, 4'x2'. I have one lamp attached to each of them and I keep them in my basement. I could have built something for cheaper, but I wanted a simple solution that would last a lifetime and never have to be repaired or replaced. The breakdown of the cost was:

$90 per stock tank.
$12 or so per lamp.
$8 for two bulbs.
$5 per package of pine shavings. I anticipate using 2 packages throughout the entire brooding period.
$15 for a 50 pound bag of starter feed.
$6.99 each for two one gallon waterers.
$5.00 each for two feeders.

I anticipate being able to use most of the equipment for several decades.

 

[aart]

Do you already have a predator proof coop for when they outgrow the brooder? Those aren't cheep (pun intended!)

 

[Ivy MG]

i don't have a coop yet but i am going to build one when there in the brooder