Help…Need Brooder Divider ideas

[Silexian]

How deep is the enclosure? Will you be able to get the heat lamp low enough? For the chicks to be warm and comfortable. Without getting close enough to the divider to create e fire hazard.

 

[sunnie7]

How deep is the enclosure? Will you be able to get the heat lamp low enough? For the chicks to be warm and comfortable. Without getting close enough to the divider to create e fire hazard.

I’m making a lid and will hang the lamp from 2 chains…. Like this one.

 

[Krugerrand]

Do you have any scrap cattle panel on hand? I find hardware cloth wrapped cattle panel really useful for something like that.

 

[Pennysworth]

I would think an open brooder like that would be prone to drafts and hard to keep warm enough

 

[sunnie7]

I would think an open brooder like that would be prone to drafts and hard to keep warm enough

I should have added that it is not complete! We still have to add lid, divider, and still deciding if I’m going to wrap the bottom 1’ in wood pannel. It’s going to be inside my chicken “barn” so no drafts. I also don’t do chicks in the winter only spring and summer.

 

[3KillerBs]

I would think an open brooder like that would be prone to drafts and hard to keep warm enough

The key is to prevent drafts at chick-level. You want plenty of fresh air above their heads.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I have one very similar. I have brooded several batches of chicks in it as well as ducklings. I brood in my coop.
So far none have struggled to stay warm.
I moved my 12 chicks to a bigger brooder yesterday that is also the same design.

 

[Silexian]

I’m making a lid and will hang the lamp from 2 chains…. Like this one.
View attachment 3433235

If you are not already. I would just use a regular incandescent light bulb in the heat lamp hood. A 3x3 area is not going to give them much space to find a comfort zone. They will likely be too hot under a heat bulb.

 

[3KillerBs]

If you are not already. I would just use a regular incandescent light bulb in the heat lamp hood. A 3x3 area is not going to give them much space to find a comfort zone. They will likely be too hot under a heat bulb.

Before I got the heat plate I had an assortment of different wattage reptile bulbs to use to adjust the heat when just moving the chain didn't work.

I only use the Big Red Bulb in conjunction with the plate when it's dropping close to freezing.

 

[aart]

I’m making a lid and will hang the lamp from 2 chains…. Like this one.

Take the guard off the shade and place the lamp right on the mesh.
I use 75W red incandescent reptile lights, with a dimmer extension cord to adjust the heat levels.