Would this terrarium make a (good) chick brooder?

[aart]

Perhaps in about a week I will relocate them into a giant cardboard box I already have.

Coop's not ready?

 

[Chickeria]

Coop's not ready?

Hi aart, coop's not ready yet. At the moment I'm confident I will manage to finish everything in time (babies are two weeks old now). But I'm a bit anxious there could be a total lockdown because of Covid again, that would mean it would be difficult to get replacement screws etc. if something doesn't work out as planned or gets broken when placed.

 

[Chickeria]

That size would probably be fine for about 6-10 chicks. I don't know how many eggs will fit in the incubator you will use, or how many of the eggs will hatch.



Yes, that would be better.

I think your plan sounds good!

Thank you for your response and opinion! The incubator can hold 40 eggs but I plan to only order 12 shipped eggs. I know they will probably not be all fertile and being shipped will probably lessen the hatching rate, too, so I guess I would be lucky if having 6 chicks?

Ok I will build a frame with wire cloth and replace one glass panel.

 

[Aapomp831]

Thank you! I will definitley follow your advices and increase the ventilation.
Ok I will keep that in mind. If there will be a high hatch rate I could organize a very big cardboard box or a puppy play pen where they could move in after the first month. I hope the weather here will allow them to be for a few hours in a secure run outside in the sun on the grass and earth when they have reached the appropriate age to do so on a daily base, but I know this can't be expected.

They can start to venture out in a secure area once they are around 6 weeks and fully feathered. By the time they are ready for their outdoor coop, you won’t need any supplemental heat at all. I always try to get them out ASAP lol

 

[Chickeria]

They can start to venture out in a secure area once they are around 6 weeks and fully feathered. By the time they are ready for their outdoor coop, you won’t need any supplemental heat at all. I always try to get them out ASAP lol

At the moment I can't imagine wanting them to be out - but who knows when everything will become real and they are getting rebellious teenagers

 

[CHlCKEN]

Yes, all at once lol. Cute little a-holes

My allergies have a lot of fun when I raise chicks in the house.

 

[Chickeria]

Looks good!




The divider could just a piece of cardboard, taped into place at each end.

After the first two days or so, it should be safe to let the chicks have access to the entire space.

Thank you!
Ok I will take cardboard and tape it, thank you for your advice!

 

[NatJ]

they don't get grit yet (I searched for chick grit but couldn't get it in my country), only their chickstarterfood.
I bought normal grit, but it is very heavy, I think it is only for adults?
They are bantams and very tiny, so I'm afraid to do something wrong regarding the grit.

I would just sprinkle in some of the normal grit, and see if they eat it. Chickens are usually a good judge of whether they can swallow something or not.

If the bag of grit has pieces in several sizes, they may be able to pick out the smaller ones to eat.

The babies became more and more and more active and confident and there was no more danger one could get lost in space, so I took out the room divider already.

Yes, they do reach that stage very quickly!

I think I see 12 chicks in one of the pictures--did ALL your eggs hatch? Wow!

 

[Chickeria]

I would just sprinkle in some of the normal grit, and see if they eat it. Chickens are usually a good judge of whether they can swallow something or not.

If the bag of grit has pieces in several sizes, they may be able to pick out the smaller ones to eat.



Yes, they do reach that stage very quickly!

I think I see 12 chicks in one of the pictures--did ALL your eggs hatch? Wow!

Hi NatJ thank you for answering and helping me again
I checked the package of the grit I purchased a little closer and it says it is suitable for chicken, quail, bantam quail and finches. It does have several sizes. So I will sprinkle a bit around and see. But I bet they will eat it, they peck at everything laying around.

Yes they develop SO fast. Tomorrow I will have to put some things to jump on and to examine and explore for them into the brooder, I can see they start getting bored.

Yes, it is one of the rare pictures showing them all
I ended up ordering 15 eggs, and 12 hatched, I know I am lucky.

I got so many informations about problems with shipped eggs. Even the person who lent my friend's incubator before me and brought it over to me said I should order more (he suggested 20, he was disappointed with the hatchrate of his shipped eggs, and his eggs even didn't have to cross a border between two different countries like mine).
I dared to order three eggs more because they are bantams, I wouldn't have dared order more than 12 if they were standard size to be honest.
I have already a giant cardboard box as a 'plan B' if the terra-brooder becomes too small for my 12 babies.

 

[aart]

Main issue with this sort of pet bird grit is it has a lot of calcium components - the limestone, the calcium carbonate. The non soluble grit that's sold for chickens in the US is usually granite, so no extra calcium going into the system.

I noticed that wonders if caged birds have different calcium requirement?

I'm sorry it is on german, I'm in Germany.

That's fine..... site had a translation function, so it displayed in english.

Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!