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Question: Do chicks that are a week old and older need a heat lamp if they are in an outside brooder. I'm afraid my chickie babies are getting to hot, they always go to the other side of the box and it's a good sized box. Should I just leave it on. It's been getting so warm outside the last few days, I don't want to cook them.
 
what is the floor going to be? 1/4 inch hardwar cloth is the largest non solid floor I would use for new chicks. I would cover it with paper towels or cheap cabinet liner too for the first week. Then as the droppings fall onto the plywood I would have that covered with newspaper at least 4 layers thick. If the plywood is going to be the floor I would fill in the triangle spaces so the chicks don't dig out the chips and somehow get trapped in a corner. Also it has been my experience that the light needs to be closer to the chicks the first week even inside. The entire cage does not need to be 95 but at least 1/4 of it should be.
I was planning to use paper towels and newspapers for the 1st week or so.... As for the corners, I was thinking about trying to find a tray, or make some sort of bottom to sit on those lips to lift it off the base so that the droppings would fall down away from the chicks... but not sure yet how to go about making that and it be strong enough for them without it being like a trampoline! LOL

Edited to add that the heat lamp can and will be lowered to their level & also on a dimmer switch - just sitting where it is atm so it was out of the way :)
 
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Question: Do chicks that are a week old and older need a heat lamp if they are in an outside brooder. I'm afraid my chickie babies are getting to hot, they always go to the other side of the box and it's a good sized box. Should I just leave it on. It's been getting so warm outside the last few days, I don't want to cook them.


It sounds like they are to hot. I would at least raise the lamp up higher. What's the temp in their area?

I brooded 12 chicks in a water trough in my coop last Aug/Sept and it was 90*+ in there so I left the light off and they did fine. I did watch the weather closely and turned it back on if the temp dropped.
 
Hi all! Is anyone planning on attending the swap meet in Knox on Sept 14? I'm bringing some partridge wyandotte bantams, and was hoping to pick up a few different breeds while there. Anyone have faverolle bantams?


I usually go to all of them that are there since it's only about 20 minutes from my house. This will probably be my first time selling there though. I will be taking my black mottled Polish/Houdans and maybe some of my micro pigs. (Going to be sad to see them go- I love to watch them run and play.)
 
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Quote: Things you need to make the walk on tray for the chick dropping to fall through.
1. 1/4 -1/2 inch hardware cloth ~ typically found in the garden area at lowes. retail me not . com offers discounts for lowes if using 1/2 inch you will need to cover it with cabinet liner from the dollar store for the first week to 10 days.
Links:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_157763-1311...l=1&currentURL=?Ntt=hardware+cloth&facetInfo=
http://www.lowes.com/pd_492388-1641...l=1&currentURL=?Ntt=hardware+cloth&facetInfo=
2. 3 inch screws to screw together a sandwich style frame all along the edges of the hardware cloth tray.
3. 2x4 long enough to make the bottom of the tray sandwich standing these up so they are about 4 inches high, make a rectangle the size that you want the tray to be. Attach these together and cut the hardware cloth to fit to the far edge of each 2x4 side of the rectangle. you can tack the hardware cloth in place using the 3 inch screws but not screwing them in all of the way.
4. 2x2 strips for the top of the sandwich. Cut these to be the top outer edge of the hardware cloth tray. Since the hardware cloth is temporarily screwed down to the lower wood, simply attach these skinnier wood strips to the edges 1 side at a time, first remove the partially screwed in screws for that 1 and only 1 side. Then place the 2x2 on top of the 2x4 with the edge of the hardware cloth in between. Secure with screws.
5. A pair of cabinet handles to lift the hardware cloth dray up to allow you access to the droppings so that they might be removed. Or secure the hardware cloth tray to the brooder frame and make the floor drop to the ground to get the poo removed. If using cabinet handles do not attach until the tray is in the brooder and you can pick good placement. Typically it will be the center of each short side but that might not be the best if your arm span is short like mine. If you choose to have the bottom come off, the latches need to be on the sides so the poo does not fall on the person removing the bottom.
 
Does anyone else have a house scovy?? Lol

He wants it turned to Duck dynasty!!
yuckyuck.gif
Is the duck in quarantine/sick bay or you just decided you wanted a house duck?
 

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