Indoor Chick Brooder

[CubbieFan88]

In September we have 15 baby chicks coming in from Meyer's Hatchery. We aren't first time chicken owners, but a few months ago our neighbor's 4 dogs squeezed through our fence in the very wee hours of morning & slaughtered our entire flock (much to my daughters and my heartbreak). SO! Now we are back to the beginning. Its been several years since we've down the whole baby chick scene. I'm looking for ideas to this time around as last time we did this we were new to chick brooders so in hindsight I feel like there is things I could improve on (ex. limit water splashed in shavings, limit shavings & poop in food, etc.). I would love it if you could share your indoor chick brooder set-ups with me! Or your outdoor set-ups even that you feel could be of help. We don't plan to put them outside till they are fully fluffed out. We like brooding inside until they get too big and antsy, then its time to move them outdoors. We are in Texas, so cold isn't an issue. Thank you for your help! Any and all advice is appreciated.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I use a stock tank as my brooder.

 

[Coops Dad]

I used a 125 gallon Rubbermaid livestock water trough for about 20 hatches of between 14-20 chicks. We use sundried grass clippings for bedding, and I put their waterer on a 12" square of plywood to prevent tipping. The feeder goes on a paper plate, and spills are recycled back into the feeder by folding the plate taco-style.

I also made a rectangular cover out of 1"x1" wood as framing and 1/2" hardware cloth as the screen for when they get enough size to jump out.

 

[Sarahh_Janeyy]

I used a pop up pet playpen and it's working great this time around- the mesh lets me get on their level and see them better.

They are on hemp bedding with a brooder plate that is height adjustable. The cds and tennis ball were there for them to peck at things. One was separated for a day (the cardboard) because it was aggressively pecking at eyes and vents (she's calmed down now and there is no longer cardboard in there- though we left cardboard with red dots around the rim of the playpen for them to peck at). Waterer has glass marbles in it so they don't accidentally fall asleep and drown in it.

Playpen: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B017I6Y0W2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bedding: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z42Z611/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[K0k0shka]

I highly recommend a brooder that opens from the side, not from the top. Chicks have an instinctual fear of death from above (aerial predators) and will be more afraid of you if you reach down from the top. Also recommend a brooder that’s not opaque - or at least not on all sides - so they can see out and get accustomed to sights and sounds. And raise the brooder up on a table, not on the floor, so you’re at their level and not looming above. All this will make the chicks less afraid and more accustomed to you and the world.

Raise the feeder and waterer on a brick or wooden block to keep them clean. At the level of the chicks’ backs. They don’t need to bend down to eat. The higher, the better.

Play sand works great as brooder bedding! I’ve been using that for two years now and I love it. Quick and easy to clean, and less wasteful, because you don’t have to keep throwing it out like soiled shavings.

Here’s my brooder setup from this year. I loved it!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/diy-chicken-tv-brooder-v2-0.76524/

 

[CubbieFan88]

I use a stock tank as my brooder.

Thank you for your input. A stock tank definitely provides a great amount of space for chicks.

 

[CubbieFan88]

I used a 125 gallon Rubbermaid livestock water trough for about 20 hatches of between 14-20 chicks. We use sundried grass clippings for bedding, and I put their waterer on a 12" square of plywood to prevent tipping. The feeder goes on a paper plate, and spills are recycled back into the feeder by folding the plate taco-style.

I also made a rectangular cover out of 1"x1" wood as framing and 1/2" hardware cloth as the screen for when they get enough size to jump out.

Thank you for your explaining your set-up! It gave me some great tips. Especially the paper plate trick as I struggled with the amount of food we lost in the shavings every clean up. Not to mention the smell from wet food (& wet shavings). It made me clean up way more than probably most.

 

[CubbieFan88]

I used a pop up pet playpen and it's working great this time around- the mesh lets me get on their level and see them better.

They are on hemp bedding with a brooder plate that is height adjustable. The cds and tennis ball were there for them to peck at things. One was separated for a day (the cardboard) because it was aggressively pecking at eyes and vents (she's calmed down now and there is no longer cardboard in there- though we left cardboard with red dots around the rim of the playpen for them to peck at). Waterer has glass marbles in it so they don't accidentally fall asleep and drown in it.

Playpen: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B017I6Y0W2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bedding: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z42Z611/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I love the idea of giving them things to peck at. It'll help stimulate them & keep them from getting bored. I keep seeing the brooder plates and I've always wondered about them in comparison to the heating lamp. They certainly seem way more convenient. Also thank you for the links I'll be looking into those.

 

[Sarahh_Janeyy]

No problem! Brooder plate just seemed safer to me, so I went with that. Good luck!

 

[AOrchard]

I use a chick watered propped up on a piece of wood to keep the shavings out for the first week or two until they are strong enough. After that, I switch them to a rabbit water bottle mounted on the side of the brooder. No mess at all!

I have also used a sock and some yarn around the chick waterer jug part to turn it into a hanging waterer. Then you can hang it off a stick stuck across the top of the brooder, and tie up the yarn slowly as the chicks get bigger. They can typically kick shavings to the middle of their torso height, so if you raise the waterer up to back height, they can reach in just fine but most of the shavings will stay out. This requires a fairly tall brooder though.