Is this ok for a brooder box

[Kiwichicky18]

Hello everyone, looking for advice, I finally have 2 beautiful Orpington babies about 4/5 days old, I made a box for them from a big plastic bin, mainly to keep my curious cat out! But once the heat bulb is on it emits a plastic smell, gets warm but not hot. Is this smell toxic for the chicks? I’ve put them in a plain old cardboard box now because I was getting a bit paranoid about the smell. Has anyone else raised babies in a plastic bin like this and is it ok?

 

[N F C]

It looks like you could use more ventilation on the plastic tub. I'd replace the plastic lid with a screen. Do you have a thermometer inside the box to monitor the temperature? It shouldn't be above 90-95*. Also, you'll want to put some sort of bedding down, newspaper can be too slippery for the chicks.

 

[Melky]

I used a cardboard box. Worked fine. Just put pine mulch bedding in it from TSC or wherever you can get it. Easy to scoop out. Must change all of bedding once a week. Good for compost bin and gardens. Place food/water inside free choice. First week temp 90-95 so have some kind of thermometer. Wouldn’t use plastic. Keep heat on one side of box so have a cooler side and warmer side so chicks can self regulate heat. Keep food out from under the heat source. Every 5-7 days wean by 5 degrees till at 65-70 degrees then turn off. Should be fully feathered out by 4-5 weeks 6-8 latest. Keep netting over top of box because they will practice using those wings. Keep sav a chic electrolytes in water first 5 days then once a week rest of time fresh water. Should have 20% starter or starter grower feed for best growth for first 8 weeks then can go to 18% then 16% layer feed when 18 weeks or first egg. Start chic grit at 3-4 weeks and can add dried mealworms or greens like cabbage leaves at this time. Keep these treats to 10% or less of total diet. At 8 weeks can advance to poultry grit. At 15 weeks can offer free choice oyster shell. Good luck on your chicken adventure! Looks like this.
You can also put in a roosting bar at 5 inches high to teach them to roost. Toss a little crumble up there and they will be up in no time.

 

[Kiwichicky18]

View attachment 1608882 I used a cardboard box. Worked fine. Just put pine mulch bedding in it from TSC or wherever you can get it. Easy to scoop out. Must change all of bedding once a week. Good for compost bin and gardens. Place food/water inside free choice. First week temp 90-95 so have some kind of thermometer. Wouldn’t use plastic. Keep heat on one side of box so have a cooler side and warmer side so chicks can self regulate heat. Keep food out from under the heat source. Every 5-7 days wean by 5 degrees till at 65-70 degrees then turn off. Should be fully feathered out by 4-5 weeks 6-8 latest. Keep netting over top of box because they will practice using those wings. Keep sav a chic electrolytes in water first 5 days then once a week rest of time fresh water. Should have 20% starter or starter grower feed for best growth for first 8 weeks then can go to 18% then 16% layer feed when 18 weeks or first egg. Start chic grit at 3-4 weeks and can add dried mealworms or greens like cabbage leaves at this time. Keep these treats to 10% or less of total diet. At 8 weeks can advance to poultry grit. At 15 weeks can offer free choice oyster shell. Good luck on your chicken adventure! Looks like this. View attachment 1608889
You can also put in a roosting bar at 5 inches high to teach them to roost. Toss a little crumble up there and they will be up in no time.

Thank you! Very detailed and helpful

 

[Melky]

Thank you! Very detailed and helpful

No problem. Best part of cardboard box can throw out when done.

 

[Compost King]

No problem. Best part of cardboard box can throw out when done.
View attachment 1609220

Compost it! ok I am obsessed with composting. It's why I use cardboard for so many things. We can get free boxes and replace them when they wear out and I can always use more cardboard in the compost. Another thing you can do with cardboard is shred it and use it as coop bedding. I have built brooders out of Straw bales too because eventually that straw gets used somewhere. Although those who brood in the house might prefer not to bring in straw bales.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I use a plastic bin but without the lid. Hubby made a frame to fit the top & I screened it (ventilation). When I used a light, never emitted any odor ... I switched to MHP (heating pad) and the chicks stay in for the first week (observation) then moved out to the brooder with their MHP. I also use potty pads at least the first week, again for observation.

Melky gave good advice.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

If the plastic is venting fumes, don't use it. The cardboard is less fireproof but otherwise less likely to hurt your chicks. Lots of other great advice on here already so I won't go into too much details but definitely ditch the plastic. Birds have ultra-sensitive respiratory systems so the fumes could prove lethal.

 

[Ginmary]

x2 some bulbs have Teflon which can kill birds. You're better off getting a heat bulb from a poultry supply since they are made for use with birds.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I never used those heating lamps, just a plain light bulb 40 - 60 watts .... Worked fine