ideas for our brooder *pics*

[barnyard betty]

We just finished building our brooder. It's about 18" high, 30" deep and 30" wide.
Place for a slide in divider in the middle if needed (not used in photo). Each side can be opened independently. Used a eco-friendly paint on all surfaces and hail screen for top inserts. Space for two heat lamps to be suspended above each end at various heights above brooder (only using one right now)
We have a few thermometers in it at various places and using pine shavings for a light bedding.
Anything we forgot or could do much better????
Thanks for your input!!.
Also...I would love to see pics of your homemade brooders!!
Our chicks are about 2 weeks old now and are having a ball running around!!

 

[StarryEyzz]

I think it looks GREAT. Wish we had started out a little bigger. After two weeks we are already needing to upgrade to a larger brooder. LOL

 

[yinzerchick]

That's a very nice brooder! I would put some clumps of sod...sa hovel or two of dirt, weeds, grass and all in there for them to pick at. It'll make the brooder a bit dirtier, but they love to taste the grass and weeds, peck the dirt, and take some dirt baths too! Mine get really excited when I put in new ones for them!

 

[LaynaDon95]

Beautiful!

 

[MamaOf5Cuties]

Lovely! I wish I had the wood so my husband and I could build something like that! Plywood is SO expensive here!

 

[coolcanoechic]

Looks great! Nice job with the lid. I also like how you can separate the two sides.

Here's mine. It now has a screened lid on it ( not shown ), since the babies are starting to fly.

 

[barnyard betty]

Thanks for the input!!
Coolcanoechick...I like the lighting you have above it in addition to the heat light...I gotta get some sort of light more directly overhead other than the general room light and heat light like you have. Is that a perch I see in the pic? I was wondering if they need one or would use one?
And I surely have a lot of sod clumps I can throw in there for pecking...thanks for the tip yinzerchick!

I really wanted enough room so I can easily handle them and separate them by sex or breed or whatever once the time comes. Until then, they are having a bast testing their wings and have plenty of room to roam around.
I built a second, identical brooder (I haven't painted or put lid on yet) that I can use once they get bigger...or for the ducklings we have that just hatched.

Hey...does anyone have any advice on raising ducklings and chicks together? They are about one week apart in age. Should I put them together or keep separate? I heard that you shouldn't use medicated chick food for ducks? What other feed can you use, and what kind of homemade treats can ducks have?? Do they do well sharing the same coops and yard once they are all older? any special feeding differences or care? I would like to be able to have my ducks (just 2 right now) move in with my adult flock and my chicks eventually but don't know if that works.

Any advice on this would be great!

 

[liz9910]

Wow, that is awesome! I'm using a large plastic watering trough for my babies lol

 

[barnyard betty]

liz9910...LOL! Hey...I was about to put my "lil' nuggets" in a plastic tub when my boyfriend saw that and started to make plans to build these, (he's so sweet)...and once we started building I pushed for what I wanted hahaha! But they would have been just as happy I bet, in any kind of container...

baby chicks are just sooo happy and always busy, busy busy...until naptime!

 

[coolcanoechic]

Hi barnyard betty,

The overhead light is just a floor lamp. It throws a lot of light. Yes, that is a perch. They love it. It lets them fly up and down and roost at night. I have since added another one for their entertainment. I have also added a plastic bin filled with garden dirt. They love to dust bathe and scratch in it.