I haven't been on here for awhile. I have been busy moving and finally in the farm! My babies are to be shipped on the 1st of June. I was planning on making their original brooder out of the biggest plastic tub I can find. I ended up ordering 25 assorted female chick set for only $47.50 plus free shipping. I thought it was a good deal. Do you think the tub will be OK initially and then make something bigger as they grow? Also, what is the best temp to keep the brooder? 90-95 degrees? How long do you have to keep a heat lamp on for them? Thanks! Lisa
I just got my 10 chicks today, and I have them in the biggest tub that wally-world sells (it even has wheels on it!) There is a little more room in it than I need for now, but chicks grow fast... really fast I raised 5 wild ducklings in the same tub, and by week 4, they were way too crowded and had to be re located. I plan on relocating these to a kiddie pool when they get a bit older, but for now they are fine in the tub. I don't think that I would want 25 in there though... maybe 15 or so, but I think 25 would be way too crowded.
You'll need a couple of tubs for 25 chicks. Especially as the weeks go by, they will start the pecking order and you WILL lose a few being in close quarters. Put them in something very BIG to start with. Bigger, the better.
I got the brooder kit from MPC it came with brooder walls, bedding, water containers, food container and organic UNmedicated food! and light and light bulb! you can make it huge!
Thanks...looks like I will have to rethink this for their initial brooder. I will let you know what I come up with because I would like to keep them all together if possible.
Temperature: 95 degrees the first week, then reduce the temperature 5 degrees each week until they can be put in coop. Just make your brooder big enough so that they can move away from the lamp if they get too warm. Good luck!
