The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
interesting, but my hatches are going to be less than 10 each week most times less than 5. There is no way Dh will build any thing other than a cardboard box for the first two weeks then the chicks will get migrated into the already made wooden brooder until the weather permits them going outside to the grow out pen.

 

[lindz8504]

interesting, but my hatches are going to be less than 10 each week most times less than 5. There is no way Dh will build any thing other than a cardboard box for the first two weeks then the chicks will get migrated into the already made wooden brooder until the weather permits them going outside to the grow out pen.

Wonder if you could down-scale it and use small bulbs like a nightlight bulb? Sorry I am in a similar situation and just thinking out loud.

 

[RedRidge]

Are there any great deals on the ecoglow brooder out there or is there a sale season for it?  I'm thinking the one for 20 chicks is what I would be interested in most as the other one is quite large.


Maybe someone on here has upgrated to the large on and wants to sell their smaller one?

Have never used one of those but have wondered how hard they are to regulate temperate on. Are they only good for the first week? Two weeks?

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
I think the chicks gradually spend less time under it as they grow. It is my understanding that the food and water can also be moved a little bit each day or week to encourage the chicks to spread out into the cooler areas.

 

[TeaChick]

Have you looked into an Ohio brooder?

http://morningjoyfarm.blogspot.com/2012/04/how-to-build-ohio-brooder.html

You could probably scale it down to suit your needs....

Very cool!!! I'm going to have to build one of these!!!!
Thanks!!!

I have a homemade wooden brooder and I'll have more as I need them from cardboard boxes. But the savings in the electric bill can add up fast. less than 20 watts compared to 250 watts for the red bulbs. I use the red bulbs for about 2 weeks then gradually change the bulbs to decrease heat. But this year I plan to hatch frequently and that means lots of red bulb time.

Oh, okay.
Yeah, I have a wooden brooder, but I haven't used it for chicks yet. I've only used it for a sick hen.
With my original flock, I used cardboard boxes (I needed 2 before they were ready to go in the juvenile pen) and a red bulb in the heat lamp.
I plan to hatch frequently too; I think I need another lamp. Thanks for the info!

 

[Scott H]

Locked the girls out of the coop tonite by mistake...was sitting in the shop watching the football game about six o'clock and thought "oh $#!t" and ran down and looked...sure enough 2 roosted on the ramp and Tina running around underneath. Put the two in but Tina's molting and hormonal....had to chase her around a bit and she finally went in. Whew! Lesson is that auto doors only work when you don't override them.;-)

 

[TeaChick]

Locked the girls out of the coop tonite by mistake...was sitting in the shop watching the football game about six o'clock and thought "oh $#!t" and ran down and looked...sure enough 2 roosted on the ramp and Tina running around underneath. Put the two in but Tina's molting and hormonal....had to chase her around a bit and she finally went in. Whew! Lesson is that auto doors only work when you don't override them.;-)

If my DH did that, I'd give him what-for and it would take a good long time for him to live that down!!!

 

[marktoo]

If my DH did that, I'd give him what-for and it would take a good long time for him to live that down!!!

Perhaps in that instance the D in DH wouldn't stand for Dear.

 

[TeaChick]

Perhaps in that instance the D in DH wouldn't stand for Dear.

Nope, always dear!!! Even when he does something like that. lol

 

[Eggcessive]

I have used those pink baskets for nest boxes--they are favorites in my coop.