Plastic tote for a brooder and questions

[foxtrotters19]

Ok so here is my checklist of things I need to get:

bigger tote, pine shavings, water dish, feeder, electrolytes, probiotics, vitamins, chick starter, heat bulb am I missing anything?

Can I put the electrolytes, probiotics and vitamins all in at once in their water?

Should I do non medicated chick starter or medicated? Which do you prefer Nutrena or Purina - I feed my horses Purina and I get all that from TS so I might as well get chicken feed there at the same time.

 

[Banditschickens]

Straw/hay/pine needles :-}~
Is better than shaving as they Might swallow pine shavings.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Can I put the electrolytes, probiotics and vitamins all in at once in their water?

Most of them can be used in conjunction, though I'd read the instructions to make sure. Last time the chick vitamin mix I picked up had all 3 in one package.

 

[ldrchickens]

I am currently using plastic totes but underestimated the number of chicks i would get and after having 26 hatch out so far and more coming i am already out of room. Building a brooder box tomorow!

 

[blackdog043]

Before you buy a tote, I would see if you can find a bigger cardboard box or two to put together. Lowes might have a refrigerator or washer/dryer box you could make into a brooder. You could also use flat cardboard and construct your own, with hot glue or tape. Cheaper and you don't have to store it.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Definitely on the "hook boxes together to make a brooder" train. I've done a few brooders in the past that were two large boxes. One was smaller and had the heat lamp; the food and water was in the other box, just a chick-sized aperture away.

You can't generally re-use a cardboard brooder, which I regard as a bonus. Less to store later.

 

[foxtrotters19]

Between my husband and I we have different size wire dog crates that we could turn into a brooder. Just found an article on it.

 

[blackdog043]

Yep, dog crates work well also, put cardboard around the bottom, about 4 inches high. This will keep them from squeezing out through the wire, the first couple weeks. I use a dog X Pen and dog crate combined in my coop, for my brooder.

 

[Tacswa3]

Ok so here is my checklist of things I need to get:

bigger tote, pine shavings, water dish, feeder, electrolytes, probiotics, vitamins, chick starter, heat bulb am I missing anything?

Can I put the electrolytes, probiotics and vitamins all in at once in their water?

Should I do non medicated chick starter or medicated? Which do you prefer Nutrena or Purina - I feed my horses Purina and I get all that from TS so I might as well get chicken feed there at the same time.

If you can afford it, a 100 gallon stock tank from Tractor supply or a farm store should serve you well.