What do you think of Tractor Supply’s new chick bins?

[tigger19687]

Yes, black ceramic bulb lights you see used for lizards. Gives off no light, does not seem to radiate much heat. Use it in my grow out box in the barn where I raise my birds from about three weeks to about eight weeks. Just enough to keep the chill off of them when it drops below 30. Does NOT seem to warm a large area though, only suitable for small number of birds at a time.

Thank you, I may just go this for my next chicks. From then on I will be letting the Momma raise the chicks

 

[Finnie]

tractor supply shoved Cinnamon queens and favarolle's together

guess which breed the novice chicken owner came home with?

View attachment 2547496

What a beautiful surprise!

We had ducks in it till last week - obviously no stick for them. Now I have to hunt down were the perch stick went at some point in the last few weeks

I love your brooder. I hope you find your perch!

What is the name of this heat plate? Does TSC carry them? I may end up having to brood the chicks I get this spring, and I like that a LOT better than the heat lamp I had last spring. It would be worth $40 to me not to use the lamp.

I love my Mama Heating Pads, but next time I need to build a new one, it might just be worth the $40 to me to not have to build my own. This one seems to be very versatile.

I've been reading a lot of reviews on this and there seems to be many that say it doesn't last long. I may just go with the light

I wonder how much the TSC extended warranty would cost for this. I’ve learned to always buy the warranty for the blue heated dog dishes. I’ve had some last for years and one or two that quit in less than a year. Trying to get the warranty from Farm Innovators was not worthwhile because you have to pay to ship it to them. But TSC just gives you a brand new one. So if they offer one for this product, it might be worth buying.

 

[cmobley]

What a beautiful surprise!

I love your brooder. I hope you find your perch!

I love my Mama Heating Pads, but next time I need to build a new one, it might just be worth the $40 to me to not have to build my own. This one seems to be very versatile.

I wonder how much the TSC extended warranty would cost for this. I’ve learned to always buy the warranty for the blue heated dog dishes. I’ve had some last for years and one or two that quit in less than a year. Trying to get the warranty from Farm Innovators was not worthwhile because you have to pay to ship it to them. But TSC just gives you a brand new one. So if they offer one for this product, it might be worth buying.

Extended warranty is 6 bucks.

 

[Finnie]

Extended warranty is 6 bucks.

Thanks! That sounds reasonable.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Oh, and because I couldn't help myself, after seeing this thread, and had to brave civilization today anyways, I checked out my closest Tractor Supply. It had TWO! of these monster multi-layer brooders, not plugged in yet, waiting on chicks to arrive. (FL Panhandle, I-10-ish, halfway between Tallahassee and Pensacola).

Got to peek around inside them, can't believe they were designed with fixed position holders for the heating plates, that's really half assed engineering. Also surprised they don't share a common plug. Even my $30 router table has a switch that turns on my router and my wet dry vac at the same time from a common plug. It would seem like the base should have a common, high amperage plug with a series of lighted switches into which each of the heat plates should be plugged in (and a wire chase to contain all the cords) but the store had it set up like they were going to run a multi-socket extension cord to power the unit. Just strange.

Still, hopeful its an improvement on the old stock tanks, and that they use these to keep breeds separated - TSC is notorious for misidentified birds, and while the shipping bears some responsibility, my guess is that the store employees don't generally get the depth of training, or always the supervision, to ensure things don't get further confused during stocking.

 

[springvalley123]

I just started using it and love it.View attachment 2547717

Just be careful, I had one of these exact ones. Used it for one season, then went to set up and (fortunately) TEST the new setup a few months later, and the heater/brooder had died, stone cold.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

^^ ALWAYS test - just as you do with a heat lamp and a thermometer to ensure its the right distance to deliver the desired temperature to the intended bird spot.

and while I haven't taken one apart yet, I suspect the parts inside are cheap, easily sourced from Amazon.com, and as easily repaired **IF** you have basic electronic soldering skills.

Mine have not yet reached basic level for electronics (copper plumbing, that's different) - but my wife has mad skills. Will let everyone know when this one breaks.

 

[Finnie]

can't believe they were designed with fixed position holders for the heating plates

I was noticing when I was looking at the one today, that it almost looks like the sheet metal that holds the heater in place might be bendable. I can’t be sure, but I thought it looked like the bantam one was bent down a little.

 

[tigger19687]

Well I had to go to another store for something today and figured that since I was out I needed to go to That closest TSC to see their chicks. Only a few left 15 total and one set had NO WATER !! There were 7 in that brooder and the guy (mid aged) Says " how did they go through all that." ... well someone obviously DIDN'T water them today as it is 1pm !
Anyway, saved those little guys, but they all had Pastey butt

Then since I had time I went to ANOTHER TSC lol and they too only had that breed and only about 12 total

So if you live in MASS you better get there when they arrive if you want any because they are selling out super fast

 

[yesterDAYNE]

I saw them at our local TSC, and while they look cool, I'm not too sure how safe or efficient they are. The big chicks (brahmas) were all huddled as close to the brooder as they could be(but they could have just been added recently- no idea). That can be debatable, but the thing that wasn't, is that in the short span of me looking at the chicks for 5 minutes 3 of them escaped and got stuck in the feeding troughs. I picked them all out to give to an employee to put back, but I imagine it happens a LOT and that it's going to get annoying quick, lol. Wasn't just the banties either, but the bigger chicks as well.