I had my camera in the truck but didn't bother with it yesterday. OK you guys, I will take some photos when I go back down there Sunday to coop out the birds!
The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site
- Thread starter Robert Blosl
- Start date
My little Red cockerel crowed today for the first time. Since he's gotten promoted to the cock of the walk, he's decided to finally grant himself permission to crow. Nice clear voice and such a sweet sound to finally hear. Did you hear him crow, Jimmy? You'd be really proud of him.
Mine always sound like they are making a croaking sound and it is so strange you stop and listen and say what was that.
For that many chicks I would definitely do 2. I have mine made so I can divide it in half which was nice when I had 2 different ages in there. Now remember I am a 60 year old woman and had to build this myself so it is not taj mahal.
On the front I have 2 windows that I can open that are covered with hardware cloth. The small hole lattice that is under the brooder is what I put inside to divide the coop. That way there is still good air flow.
On the sides I have ventilation with windows under them. The windows have flip up doors to cover them without covering the ventilation windows.
This is the other side, ventilation, covered window with drop down door.
On the back I have 2 drop down doors for feeding and watering. You can see the cord for the heat plate.
The heat plate which you can see they use the top of it more then under it now. This is the large heat plate which is for 50 chicks but after 10 or so days they mostly use the top and sleep around the edge of it. I lower the back legs so it is at an angle so smaller chicks can go to the back for warmth and larger chicks go to the front. It works more like a hen would. They only go under when they need to get a quick warm up. I love the heat plate, no more heat lamps and fear of fires.
Edited to add: Since I was using metal roofing panels I covered the top of the brooder with hardware cloth before putting on the roof to keep out rodents. Also this was made completely from used wood and materials, except for hinges and locks.
Penny
Did you brood your babies in this coop when it was so cold outside, I know it got cold in Florida just like it did in Mississippi? Was thinking about either trying to keep them warm or then trying to keep them cool the weather is so wishy washy right now.
By the time I had completed the brooder it had warmed up a bit but it was still in the 40's at night. I had one of my hens that hatched out a chick on the coldest day in Feb and she did fine so I think as long as they have a warm place to go when needed the cold won't hurt them. The heat plate works like a hen would, the chicks run under it when they need to get warm and back out doing chick things the rest of the time. This is going to be my primary brooder from now on, hot or cold. I have it placed in the shade between a big shed and a hoop coop and I put in lots of ventilation for brooding in the warm months and the heat plate will keep them plenty warm when brooding in the cold months.
Penny
I always brood outside. I hatched in Jan and Feb. I can't imagine keeping chicks in the house although I know a lot of folks do. But i also think chicks are a lot hardier than folks give them credit for. Even with below zero temps I didn't loose one chick that hatched cleanly and made it to the brooder, and I hatched a couple hundred. I think too often problems arise do to "over caring"
I know just how you feel Fred. I am really happy with the one that I kept for this years breeder. He is a brother to yours. I have 4 babies about 2 1/2 weeks old in brooder and just today set 14 more and I think I'll have a couple more to put in this evening. I wasn't going to set any eggs this year but was afraid that something may happen to this boy and he is the only one I kept. The other that was so nice had a little roach in his back but he still tasted good. lol I am so glad that you got a few young this year We sure had a hard time getting you a few. lol
Take care my friend
Jimmy
For those of you with cabinet incubators, what size of an egg tray is needed for these larger eggs I have been getting? Should I order a set of universal egg trays and the extra large egg racks or would the the universal egg racks be enough?
I use the chicken size trays. My Blue Copper Marans lay extra large eggs and they fit, but not if there is an extra large egg on either side. So what I do is stagger the larger eggs with the smaller ones. I even did that with turkey eggs since I ran out of room in my turkey egg incubator. I set one row of turkey eggs, next row with chicken eggs, next row with turkey eggs and so on. I have not had any fall out. I had also bought trays for turkey eggs for my GQF. When I got the trays, I found they were too long to put two trays on one shelf like you are supposed to be able to do. I had to cut one entire row off of 3 of the trays and use one complete tray with one cut down tray on each shelf. I thought the trays I bought were made for the GQF?? I was a bit miffed. That is 18 eggs short of what I should be able to set in that incubator.
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