INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Finnie]

Maybe use a mirror and a stuffie until you can integrate the chick?

Thank you, those are good ideas! I actually did put some crochet stuffies in there and those really seemed to help. I thought about a mirror, but didn’t act on it. Now he has friends! I met with the lady that emailed me back and got 3 Marans chicks. She didn’t specify what kind they are other than French, so they are either black or black copper.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Thank you, those are good ideas! I actually did put some crochet stuffies in there and those really seemed to help. I thought about a mirror, but didn’t act on it. Now he has friends! I met with the lady that emailed me back and got 3 Marans chicks. She didn’t specify what kind they are other than French, so they are either black or black copper.

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Glad you got it worked out. I abandoned the plastic storage totes for brooders a long time ago and now use dog crates. In my experience with the storage totes as they get bigger they try to escape and if the tote isn't big enough they succeed. I also don't feel like they're well ventilated enough and smells big up quicker then the dog crates.

 

[Finnie]

Glad you got it worked out. I abandoned the plastic storage totes for brooders a long time ago and now use dog crates. In my experience with the storage totes as they get bigger they try to escape and if the tote isn't big enough they succeed. I also don't feel like they're well ventilated enough and smells big up quicker then the dog crates.

What kind of dog crates? In my experience they escape through the wire of dog crates very easily if they aren’t past a certain age/size. And plastic airline type dog crates don’t have a large enough footprint to hold the heat plate and still leave room to walk around. I abandoned that method long ago.

I cut out the lids of the totes and attach wire on them in two sections. One section is fixed and the other opens and closes for access. I suppose it would be just as easy to make both sides open and close.

I also have two rabbit cages that are my favorite. Plastic on the bottom to hold bedding in, wire on top to hang feeders and waterers from. Like you said, more ventilation, and also more light. One has legs and the other is on a stand. Elevated is the way to go!

I usually start new chicks out in the totes and as the older chicks in the rabbit cages graduate out to the coop, move the next oldest tote chicks to the rabbit cages.

 

[Molpet]

And plastic airline type dog crates don’t have a large enough footprint to hold the heat plate and still leave room to walk around.

I pic up ex large used on fb 42 and 48 inches long when ever I see them for $25. Lots of time they are cheaper than the medium size. I assume they are too big for most people's houses.
I use them for brooders with heating mhp for a few chicks or injured birds. I have a stock tank 48" long too.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

What kind of dog crates? In my experience they escape through the wire of dog crates very easily if they aren’t past a certain age/size. And plastic airline type dog crates don’t have a large enough footprint to hold the heat plate and still leave room to walk around. I abandoned that method long ago.

I cut out the lids of the totes and attach wire on them in two sections. One section is fixed and the other opens and closes for access. I suppose it would be just as easy to make both sides open and close.

I also have two rabbit cages that are my favorite. Plastic on the bottom to hold bedding in, wire on top to hang feeders and waterers from. Like you said, more ventilation, and also more light. One has legs and the other is on a stand. Elevated is the way to go!

I usually start new chicks out in the totes and as the older chicks in the rabbit cages graduate out to the coop, move the next oldest tote chicks to the rabbit cages.

I don't have rabbit cages but we essentially set the dog crates up like them with additional wire. We put cardboard at the bottom tho because then we can just throw that in the compost after they're done in the brooder. I like the dog crates with the slide out bottoms because it makes them easy to clean. But yes, in trial and error they would still manage to escape the wires of the crate without additional chicken wire added. We usually keep them in the same brooder the whole time because I've seen how scary transitions are for them and the dog crates provide ample space as they grow before they're fully fledged.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Thank you, those are good ideas! I actually did put some crochet stuffies in there and those really seemed to help. I thought about a mirror, but didn’t act on it. Now he has friends! I met with the lady that emailed me back and got 3 Marans chicks. She didn’t specify what kind they are other than French, so they are either black or black copper.

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So sweet.

 

[muddy75]

I’m considering re-homing my Pekin drake. Both his ladies were unfortunately killed by raccoons . If anyone in southern indiana has extra room for him shoot me a message please.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

I'm a wool spinner and looking for a source for wool locally. In the northwest. I've been to fiber shows but most of them are spaced out and far away. I recently purchased Dorset horn sheep wool and I'm in love with it so I would love to find a local source if possible but I'm for any and all options that are local.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I would start by contacting people in the Dorset club. They could either be a wool source or know of someone in Indiana that raise them.
https://continentaldorsetclub.com/members/directory/

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

I would start by contacting people in the Dorset club. They could either be a wool source or know of someone in Indiana that raise them.
https://continentaldorsetclub.com/members/directory/

Good advice thank you! I contacted one near me so I hope to hear back. I'm not sure the difference between horned, polled or wethered when it comes to the wool I just know what I had purchased was called "Dorset". I'm hoping I don't have to card it...I don't own a carder...but if I can find a source I might buy one. They're awful expensive tho. Tho I suppose if I'm to continue this hobby it'd be worth the investment since fiber fests are really over priced.