Your favorite non-electric brooder?

[Eris]

So my 30 day old chicks come this week and I'm getting all the finishing touches done right now. We use solar, and a small amount of it. There is no extra electricity to waste so I'm wondering what everyone would suggest to use for brooding. No propane or kerosene heaters, or broody hens either.

I've heard rocks, water bottle and extra beddings.

But are any of these tried and true?

Has anyone used any of these as an alternative?

Extra information. We live in West Texas, our days are over 95 degrees right now.

 

[Illia]

The ultimate alternative is a broody hen

 

[gmendoza]

A good alternative is a "Momma Box". Just any normal box that can fit your chicks in.Its kind of hard to explain,but I will try my best.

You need a box just big enough for all your chicks to fit into with little wiggle room.

Make sure this can fit into your brooder box.

After you size it, make holes on the top of the box. Take strips of old towels (about 2” wide strips) and insert them into the holes and tie them off. The idea is to make them long enough for warmth, but not too long for the chicks to poo on them. You got to have a lot of these strips. It should look like a sort of rag-mop. Cut an entrance-exit hole on one side of it, then place it in the brooder. Put the chicks under it to make them get used to it.

You are trying to mimic momma hens butt.

The towel strips should keep the chicks warm overnight.

This was on the net at one time, but got removed.

no electricity needed.

Let me know if I need to draw an illustration.

 

[Eris]

gmendoza, that sounds like a great idea. I will definitely be trying that.