My Brooder and Some Questions

[Wawa Coffee]

Hi All,

I have a few questions as i get ready for my first ever shipment of chicks this week.

1. I was looking for a way to keep their water clean and out of the pine shavings. I hung a nipple about 4" from the ground in an old tonic water bottle. I realize that might be too tall initially so I'll put a piece of 2x4 under it so they can hop up. Do you think this will work? I also have a traditional waterer just in case they can't figure it out consistently. I'm hoping to train them to use the nipple since when they move outside to the coop I'll be using a PVC watering system.
2. I ran a 3/8" dowel across the brooder. Was this a waste or will baby chicks roost?
3. Below is a picture of the box. It is huge for the amount of chicks I'm getting (5) but I've got no problem with providing a little luxury and it made for less cutting when I put it together.
4. Thanks in advance for your replies!

http://imgur.com/a/oZDfA

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

1.... yes, just watch them and adjust as needed
2....chicks love things to climb on and explore and will make good use of that, though they likely won't "roost" in the traditional sense(at night) for several more weeks.... they'll nap on it and sit on it and play "king of the hill" on it all day long.
3.... that really doesn't look too large at all, especially if you will be brooding them beyond 4 weeks before moving them outside. Nice build. Did you plan for a lid....by 10 days or so they'll be up on the edges and out

 

[Wawa Coffee]

1.... yes, just watch them and adjust as needed
2....chicks love things to climb on and explore and will make good use of that, though they likely won't "roost" in the traditional sense(at night) for several more weeks.... they'll nap on it and sit on it and play "king of the hill" on it all day long.
3.... that really doesn't look too large at all, especially if you will be brooding them beyond 4 weeks before moving them outside. Nice build. Did you plan for a lid....by 10 days or so they'll be up on the edges and out

Yikes - I didn't think they'd jump out of a 2' brooder! I'll get some hardware cloth for the top I guess. Total the brooder is 2x4x2. I figured that was way more space than I needed.

Thanks for the help!