CavalierX
In the Brooder
I am noticing (I think this was somewhat of an issue last year also) that out chicks are dumping almost half of their food on the floor of the brooder from scratching it out of the feeders; this food is mostly a wasted then. I have been told/heard to not worry about leaving the food on the floor as the chicks will scratch and clean that up as time goes by. I have also heard that I need to clean our all of that waste and flooring each day to keep the brooder clean. I hate seeing the costs of feeding these little guys nearly double by losing almost 50% of the feed to trash (or feeding the local birds though the Camp Robbers LOVE IT); is there some trick to lower this waste?
I am newer to this having only raised 9 Australorp baby chicks last year and am open to any advice on set up or changes.
Here is my set up:
2 Sets of Chicks right now 12 Australorps that are 1.5 weeks old right now, and 16 chicks that are just 1/2 a week old.
Australorps are on in a 100 gallon Aquarium on a stand. it has a wire lid and is about 48"x20"x24" in detentions. I have the floor covered with about 3/4" of pressed pine pellets (Dry den) and then I am putting down a fresh sheet of butchers paper each morning removing 80-90% of the waste each time (this only works for the first few weeks until they start tearing it up and or trying to eat the paper). I am using the screw in quart feeder and waterer. I have a 125 watt Heat lamp clipped about 12 inches off the floor in one end of the Tank and a 12x12 Rent-a-coop Heat-Plate brooder heater in the other end. These chicks are warm but have the ability to move in and out or heated areas. The Brooders are in out Garage (that is roughed -in, drywalled, taped, and insulated) and the garage is keep about 60 degrees F. Pics Below.
The 9 New Hampshire Reds Pullets and 7 Mystery Cockerels are keep in a 4'x2'x2' Galvanized stock tank that is sitting just off the floor on a plastic office desk mat (insulating it from the cold concrete). This tank is also filled with about 3/4" of Dryden pine pellets, and a fresh sheet of butcher paper each morning. I have a 250 watt Heat Lamp hanging about 18" off the floor of the tank and a 12x12 Rent-a-coop Heat-Plate brooder heater in the other end. They have room to move in and out of the heated areas and find optimum comfort zones. There is a wire top for this tank also that can be added to seal it when the get a little bigger and start jumping. Pic below.
I have a Coop being finished outside here... it is LARGE about 24'x8' with a run the same size. I may move on 9 Year old Girls into that Coop and then after a cleaning move the current 25 Chicks into the old Coop that is only 8'x5' inside and 6'x20' run outside. This coop will be easier to keep heated for the little guys over the cold nights here on the Oregon High Desert the next couple months. What age do most of you move chicks outside? into a Coop? Last year I waited maybe too long to move the girls out because they came to us in early February and we have late snows and very cold temps into late April. I was worried about them being in the coop in the cold nights.
I am also considering pickup a 5x5 round galvanized stock tank used off Craigslist here to transfer chicks into and mix together after a week or 3 to socialize the 2 groups together before going outside. I ALSO have a couple 4x8 Chicken lawn tractor/wired runs with roofs and such that I would like to put to work on my lawn. BUT I might bolster those and do 20 to 50 Meat Chickens (Red Rangers? Cornish Cross?) a little later in the season when I don't have to worry about freezing temps at night for the last 30 days or so they are outside full time.
Options Options Options.
I am newer to this having only raised 9 Australorp baby chicks last year and am open to any advice on set up or changes.
Here is my set up:
2 Sets of Chicks right now 12 Australorps that are 1.5 weeks old right now, and 16 chicks that are just 1/2 a week old.
Australorps are on in a 100 gallon Aquarium on a stand. it has a wire lid and is about 48"x20"x24" in detentions. I have the floor covered with about 3/4" of pressed pine pellets (Dry den) and then I am putting down a fresh sheet of butchers paper each morning removing 80-90% of the waste each time (this only works for the first few weeks until they start tearing it up and or trying to eat the paper). I am using the screw in quart feeder and waterer. I have a 125 watt Heat lamp clipped about 12 inches off the floor in one end of the Tank and a 12x12 Rent-a-coop Heat-Plate brooder heater in the other end. These chicks are warm but have the ability to move in and out or heated areas. The Brooders are in out Garage (that is roughed -in, drywalled, taped, and insulated) and the garage is keep about 60 degrees F. Pics Below.
The 9 New Hampshire Reds Pullets and 7 Mystery Cockerels are keep in a 4'x2'x2' Galvanized stock tank that is sitting just off the floor on a plastic office desk mat (insulating it from the cold concrete). This tank is also filled with about 3/4" of Dryden pine pellets, and a fresh sheet of butcher paper each morning. I have a 250 watt Heat Lamp hanging about 18" off the floor of the tank and a 12x12 Rent-a-coop Heat-Plate brooder heater in the other end. They have room to move in and out of the heated areas and find optimum comfort zones. There is a wire top for this tank also that can be added to seal it when the get a little bigger and start jumping. Pic below.
I have a Coop being finished outside here... it is LARGE about 24'x8' with a run the same size. I may move on 9 Year old Girls into that Coop and then after a cleaning move the current 25 Chicks into the old Coop that is only 8'x5' inside and 6'x20' run outside. This coop will be easier to keep heated for the little guys over the cold nights here on the Oregon High Desert the next couple months. What age do most of you move chicks outside? into a Coop? Last year I waited maybe too long to move the girls out because they came to us in early February and we have late snows and very cold temps into late April. I was worried about them being in the coop in the cold nights.
I am also considering pickup a 5x5 round galvanized stock tank used off Craigslist here to transfer chicks into and mix together after a week or 3 to socialize the 2 groups together before going outside. I ALSO have a couple 4x8 Chicken lawn tractor/wired runs with roofs and such that I would like to put to work on my lawn. BUT I might bolster those and do 20 to 50 Meat Chickens (Red Rangers? Cornish Cross?) a little later in the season when I don't have to worry about freezing temps at night for the last 30 days or so they are outside full time.
Options Options Options.
