What do you use for a brooder?

[kbbeale]

Just curious what everyone uses for brooders? If you use something large like the stock tangs, how do you prevent preditors from getting to your chicks? I'd like to see pictures. Also, if you keep your chicks indoors what is your set up indoors like, how long do you keep them in before moving them outside - then when outside, where do you put them?

I'd like to make some improvements on our process of raising chicks. Currently, the chicks are in an indoor heated brooder in my kitchen area until they are several weeks old, then they go outside to a heated pen to continue to grow out. I have lost several chicks for unknown reasons.....maybe they got smothered or ? I have no clue. I'm wanting to make improvements in hopes of not losing any more chicks.

Thanks,

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

I know a few people that use plastic totes, like from walmart. They seem to work well for them.

 

[cluckychick]

I use a plastic storage box inside the house till their big enough to go out to the big brooder. In our outbuilding/barn I have a big brooder box that I put them in till they get bigger then I put them outside in a temp. pen till they get big enough to intergrate with the big girls.

 

[Fresh Eggs]

I am using the 1 and only deluxe duck taped cardboard box! It works awesome!!! I would keep them inside for about a month or so, if it is really bad weather, keep em in 2 months. I am using a foot and a half wide by 4 and a half long box for 26 chicks. It should fit them for about a week or so. U can just get a bigger box each weekend, or tape some together like I did.

 

[Master S.M.C]

Check out this thread, it shows you what everyone uses.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6233

 

[rooster0209]

I use a huge/heavy cardboad box with the bottom cut out and a side hole cut out. I place a framed window screen over the top and place it against a wall in the coop. When they get bigger, I turn the box around so the chicks can come in/out of the box. I use a 75W light bulb w/metal cone for heat. Cleaning is easy, i just lift up the box a bit, scoot the chicks over, sweep up the shavings and add clean.

This set up is inside my coop.

 

[porteryork]

I use a wood box that I got at a chicken show that has compartments that can be opened to accomodate them as they grow. Then I move them into the coop where I have a dog pen set up so that they are seen by the other girls. After a week or so, I start leaving the door on the cage open during the day and then eventually I leave it open all the time. It seems to work out great.

 

[gritsar]

I used a kiddie wading pool with a homemade draft guard of PVC wrapped in heavy duty plastic.
The predators couldn't get to them because they were on our screened porch.

 

[farmerlor]

Most wondrous husband actually built me a little closet in his precious garage!! We put the just hatched babies in a stock tank in the closet with a heat light and and the waterer on a little board and then when they're a couple weeks old we do away with the stock tank and just let them run the closet floor. But I generally have over a hundred babies at a time so I need SPACE.

 

[debilorrah]

We use a box to start, and then move them here once feathered: