Show me your brooder set-up!

[Ridgerunner]

When does the dust creation of chicks start? Would they not be so messy for a week or two? Or is it a dusty mess from the beginning?

Think a bit on what is in the dust. They shed bits of skin and bits of down, called dander. If the brooder is dry their scratching shreds bits of the bedding to dust. When their poop dries out their scratching turns it to dust. A wet brooder is unhealthy, you really want to to be dry. So some dust will be there from the start but the bigger they get the more dust you see.

Have you tried putting a thermometer directly under the lamp to see how warm it gets in the different positions? Put it chick high, not on the floor. Checking the far end would be good info too. You want it to cool off some. Of course, their behavior tells you more than any thermometer.

That chicken wire lid creates an issue raising and lowering the lamp. My brooder is in the coop. I built a chimney out of wood so I could raise and lower the lamp as required. The chimney itself never got that hot but I kept the bottom of the lamp below the bottom of the chimney.

I don't know where you are located but you probably have your chicks by now. Good luck with them.

 

[Justicedog]

I got my girls today. I opted to set up a plastic brooder in the basement as I was too scared it would be too cold in the garage.

I was worried about the littlest one for a bit as she just plopped there.

She did finally get up and eat and drink with the others.

 

[RebekahTN]

Been using this for several years now but getting larger and larger hatches so ill be upgrading this year to something bigger.
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Don't they start jumping out on like day 3? Mine would be on top of the heater and flying out by then. What do you do to keep them in until they are ready to go outside?

 

[RebekahTN]

Here's the brooder without chicks *yet* hopefully it will have babies in it by the end of the day!! I still need to do some setup for the chicks: hang the lamp, fill feeder with starter and a bit of grit, and fill the waterer with water mixed with probiotics and electrolytes!
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What is the name of this brooder you have found?

 

[cmobley]

Don't they start jumping out on like day 3? Mine would be on top of the heater and flying out by then. What do you do to keep them in until they are ready to go outside?

Nah the sides are higher than they look. But 2 weeks is when I put plastic netting over the top. It looks like hardware cloth just plastic. But today I went and got a larger one with 2 foot sides.

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

What is the name of this brooder you have found?

Look up galvanized chick brooder box.

 

[Rooster Giddens]

I'm interested on how you guys have set up the brooder. Include some pics!

Do you like the heating plates or the heating lamp better?
Do you use shavings or dog training pads, or what kind of bedding? I believe shavings decrease odor.

I bought a kids swimming pool 6ft in diameter. I have a heat lamp,a 1 gallon waterer, and a 5 lb feeder,I think, lol!!! I use pine shavings and have a homemade roost now that they're older!! I also draped a piece of construction safety netting over it to prevent test flights!! Lol!! I hope this helps

 

[Rooster Giddens]

Are you brooding in your house, in an outbuilding, or somewhere else. My brooder is set up in the coop, it's a little different out there than if I were brooding in the house. My biggest challenge brooding outside is the temperature swings. In my opinion a brooder needs to provide a warm spot in the coldest of conditions and a cool spot in the warmest conditions. In a climate controlled location like in your house that can be pretty easy to do. Outside it is more challenging, I've had it go from below freezing to in the 70's Fahrenheit in 36 hours or less.

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This is the best photo I have of my brooder. I use 1/2" hardware cloth for the floor and put plastic bins underneath to catch the poop. It keeps the brooder really dry, which I consider important. When it is really cold I put a piece of plywood on the floor to hold the heat in and just tilt it to clean the brooder. If is is pretty cold the plastic goes all the way to the top. I personally would not use a wire bottomed brooder in my house.

I use a heat lamp to provide warmth. Heat plates and heating pads can work safely if you set them up right but I find a heat lamp allows you to brood more chicks. If you use a heat lamp I strongly suggest you throw that clamp away so you are not tempted to use it and firmly attach your lamp in place with wire or chain. Do not use string or plastic that can burn or melt but use wire or chain. That should eliminate the vast majority of risks associated with a heat lamp. Of course, any time you use electricity you need to be careful no matter what heat source you are using.

The size of the brooder depends on the number of chicks you are brooding and how old they will be when you take them out. They grow very fast.

Keep your brooder dry. A wet brooder is a dangerous brooder. Make sure your waterer does not leak. Don't let the poop build up so thick that it stays wet.

A basic brooder needs food, water, protection from the environment, and protection from predators. By protection from the environment I mean rain, wind, and a spot warm enough and a spot cool enough. It also means keep it dry. If you brood in your house predators may be your pets or kids.

There are all kinds of ways to do this. As long as you take care of the basics there isn't a lot of magic in it.

Good luck!

Nice set up!!

 

[Rooster Giddens]

Nice set up!!

My brooder is in my house. They will have approximately 2 maybe 3 more weeks and then they will go outside There's plenty of room and they can't escape!!

 

[CoopsNPoops]

I built this last year to start my first flock. Now im currently brooding their offspring in it it's 2'x4' plywood with a hinged lid. I fastened it all together with L brackets so it's easy to disassemble and store when not in use. Im pretty proud of it. I put down a layer of pine shavings, then puppy pads, then another thin layer of pine shavings. The puppy pads are genius for easy clean up and they prevent water spills and poop from soiling the wood box. No mold! This was before the chicks hatched in the incubator, so ill get a pic of them in it tomorrow