My New Brooder!

[Kevin D.]

Hello all! So, as some of you may know, I am going to be getting some chicks soon ( well, more like 18 pr so day! HEHE!)
Anyway, here is the brooder I constructed! Hope you like it. Any suggestions?

 

[Lisa202]

It looks like it'll be too hot.......Definitely put the heat lamp at one end so the chicks can get away from the heat and maybe raise the lamp to achieve the right temp. I would also not cover the brooder with the plastic cover...use something like wire so that the heat can escape. Use a thermometer to make sure it's not too hot in there. My chicks were too hot at 95 to begin with so I started them off at 90. Observe their behavior and adjust accordingly. They need to get out of the heat if it's too much for them.. The size of the brooder looks like it'll only be good for a week or so for 18?? chicks. You will most definitely need more room. Good luck and post their progress and any questions so we can help you.

Use Pine shavings on floor (no news paper) Put paper towels over the shavings for the first couple days with feed scattered over them to help them start eating, then remove paper towels after a couple days.

 

[Kevin D.]

Hi!

Yeha, there will only be about 8 chicks. Yeah, I just went to go check it, and it was 140 F!!!! :eek ok, I will look into geting a wire top!
Thanks,
Kev

 

[Lisa202]

ok...good thing you checked and move it to one end of the brooder. you want to go down 5 degrees each week. So 90-95 1st week...85-90 2nd week...and so on till 70 degrees and hopefully they are fully feathered by then (at 6 weeks) and they can go outside. ( with a little help from a heat lamp out in their coop at night...I see you're from Canada...brrrrr)

 

[Kevin D.]

yeah! Hehe, ok, i will!