Need advice setting up a brooder

[Loriemarler]

I just ordered my first chicks from the feedstore (10 d'Uccles). I sure wish some of you wise veterans of brooding could come over and tell me what to do. I am lucky to have a building that was setup as my dog grooming shop that I can put them in but I need help with what to put them in.

I have a large dog crate like I have seen people use on here.

Or I have a cage with a solid bottom (I think it was a rabbit cage) with a wire top but it seems small to me

or I can buy a tote and cut holes in it.

My other choice is actually using my grooming tub and putting a sack down under the shavings to cover the drain and make cleaning it out easier. The only problem is even though I haven't groomed a dog in months the moment I set up the tub as a brooder someone will call

I have the feed and water dishes just need to get chick feed and grit I also have the heat lamp housing. Do I need a heat bulb or do you use a regular bulb? It will be colder in the shop than the house since I only have a space heater in there

Thanks for your help I am anxious for my chicky babies

 

[cafarmgirl]

Probably the #1 bit of advice I would offer is don't go too small on your brooder. They grow so fast and outgrow their space very quickly. There also needs to be enough room so that they can get away from the heat source when they want to. You don't want the whole brooder to be as warm as under the heat lamp.

I brood in my garage so I use a heat bulb and just raise or lower it as needed depending on the temp I want in the brooder.

I personally like big cardboard boxes, appliance boxes like a refrigerator box, or big melon boxes from the grocery store. I am currently using a wooden shipping box about 3x4 feet and my husband made a wood framed wire cover for it.

Hope this helps a little!

 

[Loriemarler]

I forgot I also have a long metal trough that looks about 3 feet by 5 feet but it is not very tall it's about 2 feet tall

I wonder if that would be better??

 

[cafarmgirl]

The trough will work nicely, you'll just need to make a wire cover for it.

 

[mrchicks]

I use a large metal stock tank as a brooder. It works great, and as they grow they aren't too crowded. We made a cover for it out of scrap lumber and hardware cloth.

 

[Loriemarler]

I use a large metal stock tank as a brooder.  It works great, and as they grow they aren't too crowded.  We made a cover for it out of scrap lumber and hardware cloth.

How big is the stock tank you use?

 

[mrchicks]

250 gallons I think. I'll check with hubby, he knows these things.

 

[brood mother]

I have a question too! I'm new at this also! I have 8 chicks, 10 as of Thursday. 3 are about 1.5 weeks, and the other 5 are almost a week. I am getting 2 rooster chicks tomorrow. I have room for them in my brooder I have set up just wanted to make sure the ages were ok. Also the brooder is in my living room. I am using a 250 watt heat bulb right now, and was wondering if I needed to leave it like that because of the younger ones. It hangs at one end so they can get away from it if necessary. Just wanna do what is best for my babies!!!

 

[mrchicks]

Hi! Congrats on the babies! Mixing different ages of chicks you need to watch them carefully to make sure larger are not picking on smaller. And that the smaller are still having access to the food/water/heat. Bigger ones can tend to be pushy with the smaller ones. Yes, leave the heat light so that they can go under it if they wish. Once they are fully feathered and aren't using it, you can remove it.

And post pictures if you can, we love to see chicks!

 

[mrchicks]

How big is the stock tank you use?

I checked, he said approx. 250 gallons. It's about 7 feet long, 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide.