NEVER use a kiddie pool as a brooder.

[sonew123]

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amen to the tanked weather huh? pooring rain and nasty cold windy too-I was supposed to move my 4 weekers outside to the garage this weekend but now I cant because its too cold and their brooder is getting way too small-I have a batch hatching as we speak and dont have that brooder set up yet:-( darn weather~

 

[duck walk]

I use a kiddie pool but I framed some chicken wire and made a top for it...still well ventilated and I can still see the chicks...light and easy to lift to fill feeders and waterers...I got tired of chasing my first batch of chicks and came up with that idea...

 

[jeremy]

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So you know how it feels too! I can't wait to get them into the garage tomorrow.

Quote:
I should have clarified in the OP that they're in the guest bedroom of my house that nobody is currently living in. The dust is terrible, you'd think that there would be some sort of alternative bedding to use. I guess there's straw and the corn cob stuff, but in my experience that gets smelly REAL quick.

 

[tnchickenut]

LMAO!

I used a baby pool for my first brood and MAN! They were flying out in the second week! Then I had the problem of how to get the whole thing out once the birds were outside. It was hard and I had to barrow a shop-vac. lol. I never went back to the baby pool idea again. Now, I mainly use rubber cattle troughs. More expensive, but last longer and has higher walls.

 

[Supermommy486]

Oh man...

 

[jeremy]

Quote:
I originally had wanted to buy and use one of the galvanized steel water tanks, for cows and horses that are pastured.

But those things are like over $100 for a big one!

Then I thought to myself, where exactly would I put it?

Thus, the kiddie pool came to be.

I'll never make this mistake again.

 

[kathyinmo]

Jeremy .... you have 60 chicks?????

This is a nearly free brooder .... (2 sawhorses holding a 2x4 for the light)

 

[jeremy]

No, I was exaggerating a bit. I really only have, (27, +11 +5 +5...) only 48.

I think I was adding my adult birds to the total number of chickens I have accidentally. I do have 60 when I add them to the count. But those are definitely NOT in the house! L0L.

To top it all off I just got another dozen Del eggs from Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain, plus 3 BBS Orp "packing peanut" eggs. (Yay! Another shot at BBS Orps!) Then there's another dozen + Dels from Bill Braden that should be arriving either tomorrow or Monday. (Hopefully,

) I didn't get the dozen Delaware eggs from Jesse McDaniel, I was outbid literally during the last minute, or seconds even. I asked if he could send me another dozen, I was willing to pay but he didn't have anymore available. Oh well.

ETA: I just sold 4 Buff Orpington chicks on craigslist, so I'll be down to 44 after I meet the lady tomorrow.

 

[bigoakhunter]

I may sound cruel, but if I have a coop ready or newly built for them, then they go out of brooder and into coop at about 3-4 weeks. At that age I do not let them free range or into run. Just let them grow and get used to coop surroundings.

 

[kathyinmo]

You had better get busy building coops! You got the sicknes ..... Chickenitis ! !