Rubbermaid Brooder?

[cluckcluck42]

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Great idea, I only have a Walmart near me but maybe they will have some stuff. If not, might be worth a trip into the 'big town' lol

Thanks

 

[ZooNana]

Since you're in Canada I'm not sure where to point you.

I think my Kanuk friend said they have walmarts there. You can get a lamp in the hardware section of walmart, they have red heat lamp bulbs too. I put wood shavings in the bottom (I buy them at the feed store, but walmart carries it in the pets section for rabbits) and cover the wood shavings with paper towels. The sheets would work fine, cut them into pieces the size of the brooder box and you'll have several to change out as needed (I'd sew around the edges to keep them from fraying)

You can hang a bird waterer (the kind with a water bottle and cup) on the side for water if you can't find a proper watering dish/container. (hang it way low at first so they can reach it) Poke holes in the side of the rubbermaid container to attach it.

For a chick feeder you can cut holes large enough for their heads to fit through but not too small so it won't get stuck, and about 1 inch up from the side of a plastic container (like a large sour cream or cool whip container. Fill it up to the bottom of the openings and put the lid back on (so they don't play in the food)

 

[cluckcluck42]

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Good advice, thank you! I am going to check out Walmart but I did find some stuff for pretty cheap at myprettychicken.com, I'll compare how much it is at Wally world and go from there. I hate ordering things online, my last order just didnt show up and the company had no way of tracking it. Not cool!

I was looking at the brooder thread and saw a lady who put two pie plates together with paper clips and cut holes in them, seems like a cheap fix, I will try it out tomorrow and see if I can get it so the edges aren't sharp. We had a big plastic waterer for the chickens but hubby broke it trying to get frozen water out. He thought I banged it furiously against the ground to get the frozen water out, apparently. *sigh*

 

[quietheart]

I use these tubs for my babies too. I use the baby feeder and water containers but I use a mechanics light, like they use for working on cars after dark, instead of a heat lamp. I simply hooked it on one side and the cord and end piece sat on the other side of the tub. it was what we had

. For the top I simply draped a thinnish towel over it, I made sure the light was facing down at all times. I currently have 5 silkies that I split into 2 tubs during the day but combine at night. They're 3 months old now but still so small I don't want them out in the chicken tractor with my guinea. I did have them out there but lost 1 when it was trampled by a guinea. I also have a 5 month old buff roo I put in a tub inside at night, so there's no fighting between my roos, till this cold snap is past. Then he and my other buffs will go back to their coop

. I have been really surprised that none of them have even tried getting out of their tubs

 

[Eagle2026]

This is how I do it.
Their water troughs from Del's 85 gal.

 

[jerseygirl1]

How many chicks can you fit in there and for how long?
If I get 12 chicks, how big of a brooder (s) should I need?
Just curious....
New at this, cna you tell?

 

[Eagle2026]

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I could say that if you only had a dz chicks you could keep them in there for up to 8 weeks. Alot longer if there not the large standard breed.
What kind are you thinking about?

 

[FortWorthChicks]

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The way I hear it is if you order just a dozen chicks they often send extras

of what ever breed didn't sell.

 

[jerseygirl1]

I'm ordering one of each of welsummer,s bantam cochins, chanteclers, jersey giants, sussex, and a barnevelder. and a few others. Ihave an extra large dog crate that the top comes off, think I will set that up. I have two, somaybe I can join thetwo bottoms together if it's too small

 

[cluckcluck42]

I bought another see through rubbermaid and probably will join them together when the chicks get bigger. When they are 6+ weeks, can I get away with having a heat lamp on just one side of the rubbermaids connected together? As in, instead of two in each rubbermaid, just one?? What if I have a space heater next to them?

Lamps are expensive, I cant find any at the WalMart and the one at the feed store is 30 bucks with no light.