BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[debid]

I see a swing! And is your feeder on a frisbee?! I love it! I bet the chicks do, too. Where is this set up?

 

[tjbaker70]

Built our brooder today! Yay! 16 ft^2 out of scrap wood we had from other projects and used some hardware cloth around outside. We elevated it a bit off the ground too. This brooder is inside our utility room and will be easy to remove after we move the girls out to the coop. We would brood in the coop but have no electric and it's still below freezing temps here. For now we don't have a top, but are working on it. We have a couple waterers and feeding trough too. I am using sticks from the yard for roosts and pine shavings for litter. Sides are 2ft high, but I figure that won't be high enough after a couple of weeks so we need to get the top on. We hope to move the girls out to the coop at 6 weeks. This our first flock, so we are still trying to figure it all out.

 

[timidlady]

A 35 gallon tub with poultry netting. I put the lid underneath to catch the litter kicked out. I used old vhs tapes to lift the food and water out of reach of their crazy doings. Im not sure if that will work out. Figured it was worth a try.

 

[SnowKnitty]

Nice job!
I recommend you add something around the bottom to keep the pine shavings inside the brooder. I lined my brooder with a tarp that comes part way up the sides. (Be careful not to get a heat lamp too close to a tarp.) And I've seen others tape paper on the outside or hang some plastic. Whatever works to keep the mess contained! Enjoy your baby chicks!

 

[sled483]

Hi Everyone. Chicken math has struck again! I am getting 5 new chicks in April. The last two batches of chicks I used a card board brooder. This time I am going to use a portable playpen. It seems like an easier idea. They are going to be in my house. I have the Brinsea Ecoglow for a heater. I was always told the brooder needs to be draft free. If they are in my house, in a heated room, with this Ecoglow is that draft free? Do I need to surround the mesh sides of the playpen with card board or anything? I would really like to be able to just watch them from the side and not from the top if you know what I mean.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Hi Everyone. Chicken math has struck again! I am getting 5 new chicks in April. The last two batches of chicks I used a card board brooder. This time I am going to use a portable playpen. It seems like an easier idea. They are going to be in my house. I have the Brinsea Ecoglow for a heater. I was always told the brooder needs to be draft free. If they are in my house, in a heated room, with this Ecoglow is that draft free? Do I need to surround the mesh sides of the playpen with card board or anything? I would really like to be able to just watch them from the side and not from the top if you know what I mean.

If you put something light, like feathers, and they move around, its drafty. I wouldn't place it too close to where a vent is, or a window you might want to open any time soon.

Of course, chicks are pretty hardy in general. Mine are outside with a heating pad and its in the 20s at night, and I do know there are a few drafty spots into the brooder coop that I need to patch up.

 

[debid]

Hi Everyone. Chicken math has struck again! I am getting 5 new chicks in April. The last two batches of chicks I used a card board brooder. This time I am going to use a portable playpen. It seems like an easier idea. They are going to be in my house. I have the Brinsea Ecoglow for a heater. I was always told the brooder needs to be draft free. If they are in my house, in a heated room, with this Ecoglow is that draft free? Do I need to surround the mesh sides of the playpen with card board or anything? I would really like to be able to just watch them from the side and not from the top if you know what I mean. 

It'll be draft free. The screen sides block plenty and most people's houses aren't windy anyway

 

[SunHwaKwon]

It'll be draft free. The screen sides block plenty and most people's houses aren't windy anyway

As long as its not 100 years old like mine

 

[sled483]

Thank you! That's what I thought!

 

[sled483]

As long as its not 100 years old like mine

You'll laugh at this...... I'm buying a new one just for this purpose! I figure they are cheap enough at Walmart!