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Soon to be the crazy bird lady...well on my way! Hello from my new farm in the Wyoming desert!

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WyoHomestead

In the Brooder
Mar 5, 2025
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Hi im new...it says we can introduce ourselves...although i am scared lol. I recently aquired 5 acres in the frigid windy as heck Wyoming desert. I am turning an old shop into a small chicken farm...i am currently incubating21 eggs. I have never incubated before. I am considering using heated plates (whatever there called) for the new chicks as well as a light a bit farther away and an area they can cool off in thier chciken brooder. I am nervous...as the temps here are still cold and its winter. i plan on using a thermometer and camera in the brooder to monitor the temps/etc from my bed/couch. I plan on making sure the temp is ok before putting the chcicks there. I wish i could keep them in my house but i live in a 200 sq ft cabin...not enough room until i add a bedroom on for baby chickens and eggs lol. Due to the egg shortage and lack of any chickens available i asked the community for fertilized eggs..
Thankfully--someone answered my prayers and gave me 4 or 5 copper maran eggs and 15 icelandic chicken eggs (fertilized--or possibly fertilized). Im using a harris farms 22 egg incubator its was $169. Im hoping to get a better incubator or a larger one...but i have no idea what i should buy and im wanting a more commercial brooder or larger one someday. Im not sure how long these other incubators last. Can anyone reccomend commercial and non commercial brooders they like? Sorry for the novel...happy chickening everyone. Soon i will be the real crazy bird lady alone in the desert :)

ALSO later.. in a few weeks..this spring and summer.. ill be posting things about raising chickens and bordercollie puppies...so please like and follow/support me as im new and need followers..inspiration.. etc. Find me on U tube @WyoHomestead. Thank you! :)
 
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Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.

How large is the brooder you have prepared for them? Can you post pictures? You can use a brooder plate for 21 chicks but it will need to be a large one. Or push two together. The brooder needs to offer 2 sq ft of space per bird. I would use a baby bottle suspended on a chain to free up floor space and keep them from soiling their water and getting their bedding wet. You can make one from a thrift store sports bottle with a screw cap and a flip top and a pack of poultry nipples.
baby bottle.jpg

You raise it as the chicks grow.
babies using bottle.jpg
 

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