What's needed?

[Fancy Feather Poultry]

What's needed for a brooder. I need to know my eggs are hatching the 13th and im getting the brooder ready need to know going shopping in a little bit.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

A brooder is just a cozy container for the chicks. You can use a cardboard box, rubbermaid container, kids swimming pool, etc. You need some litter to soak up the poo. A heat lamp to keep them warm until they have feathers and can do it themselves. Also something for feed and water.

 

[Fancy Feather Poultry]

What kind of heat lamp and what kind of bulb.

 

[aran]

mate i have 14 chicks (standards) in a 70gallon plexiglass aquarium with a 200W heat lamp at one end and plain old 100W regular light at the other end...the tank is about 18 inches deep and the heat at the bottom is 95F under the heat lamp. I have 2 inches of pine shavings on the bottom covered with paper towels. I have 2 x 1/2 gallon feeders and 1x1/2 gallon waterer in there with them and they are all doing great.
This is the same way I raised my last batch of babies. They are now outside and are doing fine.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Most people use a 200 watt infrared heat lamp. They are mounted in a 9" or 10 " or so aluminum reflector with a clamp on it to hang it. Do a google search for "brooder heat lamp" to find a picture. Most feed stores have them, I've also see them at Lowe's and Home Depot usually sold in the electrical section as a shop light. Make sure whatever fixture you use is rated for the 200 watt lamp.

You want to hang it so that it just shines in part of the brooder, usually the center, so they can get away from the heat by moving to the outside edges of the brooder. That way the chicks can move closer or further from the heat as needed to adjust. If they are all hanging out directly underneath the lamp they are too cold and the lamp needs to be lowered a little to provide more heat. If they are all avoiding the area underneath the lamp and are packed up against the edges of the brooder then it is too hot and the lamp needs to be raised a little.

 

[Fancy Feather Poultry]

I have people telling me 60 watt then you tellimg me 200 WATT! I dont know what to do I have 4 baby silkie eggs hatching on 13th. Which one should I use? how high should I keep it? and what temp will it be at? how long should I keep it like that? how old are they until they go in the coop?.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
It really depends upon the size of the brooder. If it's a small box with 4 chicks a 60 watt bulb would be fine. With an infrared lamp the rays actually heat the chicks and the floor while a regular light bulb just heats the air around it. Using an infrared lamp you can leave the top of the brooder open and the light will heat whatever it is shining on (the brooder still needs to be kept draft free, high sides help). With a regular bulb that will just heat the air you need to cover part of the brooder so the heated air just doesn't rise to the ceiling. This will create a warm area and a cool area within the brooder that chicks can hang out in as they see fit. As far as the height of the bulb, I think they recommend starting at 18" for the 200 watt bulb. Like I said in the previous post, the chicks tell you if its too low or too high by observing where they hang out in the brooder.

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

Whatever watt bulb, the temp in the brooder needs to be about 95 degrees the first week, and reduce it by 5 degrees each following week.

We use 125 watt bulb in a ceramic socket/aluminum reflector. We got it at the feedstore-it is made specially for high temps. You do NOT want a cheapy reflector with a plastic socket-they will melt and/or catch fire under high temps.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
Yes, if you want to get technical and use a thermometer and fiddle with things those are the desired temps, but the chicks are your best thermometer. They will hang out where they are the most comfortable and by watching them you can judge whether the light needs to be higher or lower. As they grow larger and feather out, the extra body heat and extra insulation requires less heat in the brooder, but they'll tell you that by hanging out against the walls and avoiding the area under the lamp. At that point you raise the lamp a little, let them grow more, and keep observing. Once those chicks hatch I guarantee the TV won't get much use for a while anyways...