North Carolina

[BHep]

Has anyone used a plastic children's pool as a brooder. I've seen/read that it works just fine, but would any of you recommend AGAINST it?

Depends on how tall it is. They start jumping pretty high at a young age. Maybe if it had some kind of top on it?!

We were planning on putting hardware mesh around the sides to create a wall around it. I guess I'm mostly concerned about the heat lamp being too much for it, since the material isn't as "durable" as a Rubbermaid tote or something like that.

Yes you need to make it taller.. YES the heat lamp CAN AND WILL melt the pool, I have melted my rubbermaid tote !!! Well, my DD did !!

Make sure it is secured safely and not close to the sides.

My only warning is the bottom of the pool is slippery....that can cause splay leg. Make sure you line the bottom with non slip material, not newspaper..that is slippery.

 

[ramirezframing]

speaking of heat lamps, I read yesterday that for the people (like me) who use house light bulbs for heat lamps, do NOT use the rough/ rugged type light bulbs as they have the Teflon coating on them and will KILL your chickens. Thought I would share since I just remembered reading about these new light bulbs the other day.

 

[busymadre]

X2 - as long as you use the red light and don't forget, there will be bedding down too.

 

[BHep]

I use 75Watt reptile bulbs

 

[wildriverswolf90]

Make sure heat bulbs doesn't say shatter proof on it, that what the tefflon coating is used for, and the toxin it gives can and will kill your chicks.

 

[FireAntFarmer]

I use 75Watt reptile bulbs

This is an issue I am working on right now.... maybe you can help me solve it. It seems that most infrared lamps are the 250 watt variety but that seems excessive to me for a small brooder operation.

How many chicks will a reptile bulb take care of?
How far above the litter floor is it hung at first to get the proper temperature?
As the chicks get bigger, the brooder will have to grow so I am wondering if I would have to use more than one of these 75 watt bulbs?

I suppose as the temperature needs go down along with their size, that would also be a factor. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Matt A NC]

I have always used plain old incandescent light bulbs in my brooders. I have never used a large heat light in one. I start with 100W for alot of chicks in a large brooder. The 2x3 brooder that I use inside just has a plain light fixture I installed, not even a heat lamp. I heat the box up with a 75-100 watt bulb and then use a 60 watt for the chicks. As they get bigger the bulb goes down to a 40w or smaller. Also 2/3 of the box is open on top. I have a metal grate that goes over it. If I need more heat we just cover some of the top with a blanket. The light is on the side with a closed top.

Always have it so that the brooder has warm and cool spots. This allows chicks to move where they want to get comfortable. I put the feeders/waterers between the hot and cool places.

Matt

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Speaking of gardening, I have found the greatest device for keeping my chickens out of my flower garden! It is made by havahart and its called a sprayaway. It is a sprinkler head which hooks up to a motion sensor and your garden hose. You set it up and point it at your garden and anything that steps foot into your garden gets a blast with the sprinkler. I haven't seen a chicken anywhere near my garden since I put the first one out and I have bought two more since.

This sounds like a great idea!! Is the blast of water aimed toward the "intruder?" Or does it just start up and go around and around when it is activated?

 

[ramirezframing]

caught my first snake of the year in the hen house. Young rat snake, who I put in a bucket just to find out a few minutes later that I didn't weight the top down enough

 

[CricketR4]

caught my first snake of the year in the hen house. Young rat snake, who I put in a bucket just to find out a few minutes later that I didn't weight the top down enough

I would have given it to my chickens. One of my girls (the red sex-link) ate a baby copperhead that was about a foot or so long a few weeks ago. My girls will FIGHT over snakes!