Brooder set up

[Ilovechickens2525]

Hi all, I plan to keep chicks in this set up for first week or two. Then they have a bigger brooder box to move to out in the heated garage at that point. I have puppy pee pads to line the box with. But I’m worried about them being warm enough. I put a thermometer under the Brinsea heat pad I have in there and it hasn’t gone above 78 degrees??? Do I need to have the thermometer touching the heat pad for it to work? Should I put towels underneath the bin to warm the ground for them?

And there’s a vent nearby. Should I have that open or closed? Open lets out heat but also maybe drafts?

The hardware cloth thing underneath to bin is the lid that will keep the cat away (just incase, she is old and not a hunter so I don’t think she’ll be too interested, but better safe than sorry)

 

[CHlCKEN]

I imagine once food and water are set in, floor space will be incredibly limited. How many birds are you planning to have in there? Might work for a pair for a couple days, but chicks need space. You're definitely going to need something bigger. Maybe a kiddie pool with corral sidings? I used one of these pet tents last year and it is by far the best brooder I've ever had.

Please keep the cat out of that room. ALL cats are hunters whether you think they are or not. It won't end well if she spots them.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

I imagine once food and water are set in, floor space will be incredibly limited. How many birds are you planning to have in there? Might work for a pair for a couple days, but chicks need space. You're definitely going to need something bigger. Maybe a kiddie pool with corral sidings? I used one of these pet tents last year and it is by far the best brooder I've ever had.

Please keep the cat out of that room. ALL cats are hunters whether you think they are or not. It won't end well if she spots them.

I only have 6 hatching eggs in the incubator. So if I have 100% hatch rate on shipped eggs it’ll be 6 chicks. And this is only for the first week or so, they have a bigger set up in the heated garage that I mentioned. I’d just like to be able to keep a close watch on them at all times when they are newborn.

There is the hardware cloth lid for the cat but yes she won’t be left unattended in the room with them.

I was more wondering about temperature…

 

[CHlCKEN]

I only have 6 hatching eggs in the incubator. So if I have 100% hatch rate on shipped eggs it’ll be 6 chicks. And this is only for the first week or so, they have a bigger set up in the heated garage that I mentioned. I’d just like to be able to keep a close watch on them at all times when they are newborn.

Maybe I am misinterpreting the scale of it

I was more wondering about temperature…

Put your hand under and see if it actually feels warm to you. It may not even be working. I had an issue with mine last year needing to switch to a new cord. I don't think standard thermometers work to measure radiant heaters though and that may be your only issue.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

Maybe I am misinterpreting the scale of it

Put your hand under and see if it actually feels warm to you. It may not even be working. I had an issue with mine last year needing to switch to a new cord. I don't think standard thermometers work to measure radiant heaters though and that may be your only issue.

This is just the temporary set up for the first week. It’s one of those large 32 inch by 13 inch bins. The heat plate does take up a good amount of the space but they will only be little fluff balls in here. I have a wooden/hardware cloth off the ground brooder out in the garage that’s twice the size of this one. I just didn’t post pics of it because I didn’t have any questions about it lol. Sorry if that was confusing!

That makes sense about the thermometer not picking up the radiant temp, I do feel heat when I put my hand there.

Is it better to open or close the nearby vents?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I put a thermometer under the Brinsea heat pad I have in there and it hasn’t gone above 78 degrees???

The heat plate works by them touching their backs to it so it should be adjusted for their height. Many people slope it higher in front so they can find their preferred height.

And there’s a vent nearby. Should I have that open or closed? Open lets out heat but also maybe drafts?

Exhaust or inlet vent? I would not want a breeze of any temperature blowing on them. As long as there is no breeze, no issue.

I only have 6 hatching eggs in the incubator.

They will be hopping on top of that heat plate in no time so they have all that area. I don't see an issue for the first little bit other than cleaning poop. My personal preference would be to use the other brooder to start with, but that's just my preference. I don't see anything wrong with you plan.

There is the hardware cloth lid for the cat but yes she won’t be left unattended in the room with them.

Good.

I have a wooden/hardware cloth off the ground brooder out in the garage that’s twice the size of this one

When they are around 6 or 7 weeks old that one may start looking a bit crowded. You might think about what you plan to do then if you need to do something.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

The heat plate works by them touching their backs to it so it should be adjusted for their height. Many people slope it higher in front so they can find their preferred height.


Exhaust or inlet vent? I would not want a breeze of any temperature blowing on them. As long as there is no breeze, no issue.


They will be hopping on top of that heat plate in no time so they have all that area. I don't see an issue for the first little bit other than cleaning poop. My personal preference would be to use the other brooder to start with, but that's just my preference. I don't see anything wrong with you plan.


Good.


When they are around 6 or 7 weeks old that one may start looking a bit crowded. You might think about what you plan to do then if you need to do something.

This is all really helpful info!

How many chicks do you think I could fit in my larger brooder until they are fully feathered? So I can be prepared for a plan. I do have some ideas if I need more space. It’s about 3 feet long and 2 feet wide, close to 2 feet high too.

And, what are the thought on integrating them with my current flock when it comes to that. I have 9 girls currently, no roosters, and have space for comfortably up to 9 more, which still leaves some extra coop space and tonnes of run space.

My two integration ideas:
Keep them in a dog kennel inside the coop for 24 hours to get used to each other and then set free at night and hope for the best, and everyone will eat the same feed with this scenario.

Second idea: section off a portion of the run with chicken wire and either get a small second coop on that half, or have them sleep in dog kennel over night in the coop and physically bring them to the sectioned off separate run area, allowing them to eat different feed this way.

 

[rosemarythyme]

How many chicks do you think I could fit in my larger brooder until they are fully feathered? So I can be prepared for a plan. I do have some ideas if I need more space. It’s about 3 feet long and 2 feet wide, close to 2 feet high too.

Assuming all 6 hatch, that should do for up to 4 weeks, give or take.

Keep them in a dog kennel inside the coop for 24 hours to get used to each other and then set free at night and hope for the best, and everyone will eat the same feed with this scenario.

"Hoping for the best" with only 24 hrs of introduction is a higher risk of injured chicks. You want 1-2 weeks of introduction before they meet face to face.

Can you run power out to the coop? Finishing the brooding process outside will give them more space while simultaneously starting the see but no touch process. I do early integration by brooding outdoors (but temperatures might be an issue given that it's winter) as shown here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

Second idea: section off a portion of the run with chicken wire and either get a small second coop on that half, or have them sleep in dog kennel over night in the coop and physically bring them to the sectioned off separate run area, allowing them to eat different feed this way.

If this is strictly about feed, put the entire flock on whatever the chicks eat and that eliminates that problem. Integration is more about getting the birds used to being around each other so the older birds accept the intrusion of newcomers, not about what they're eating.

 

[SourRoses]

It’s one of those large 32 inch by 13 inch bins.

I'm sorry to pile on, but that size tote is not big enough for a week.
Granted, I use one that size as a "nursery box" to place the chicks out of the incubator and watch them for the first couple days. That way we can be sure they're all eating and drinking.
But due to space restraints, for water I use a ceramic ramekin pilfered from my Moms kitchen, as that fits in a corner well and is heavy enough not to tip... and then I give them only the bottom of a chick feeder for their feed so they can walk right through it. Chicks love to think they can eat with their toes, lol, and making it fun gets them eating sooner. On the floor we have paper towel over a padding layer of fine shavings, so we can see they're all pooing successfully and they can't try to eat the shavings.

By the third day they are making too much mess. They need their big-girl brooder with room for full feeder & waterer. And much more length to have a nice cool end to retreat to when they get too warm. They're also starting to run around and try to flap their wings, and while that's easy to miss noticing as a chick need since they can't talk, if you see chicks of the same ages in more space it becomes clear when they're missing out. And that is something that's hard to keep up with as they grow... Chicks are like popcorn. You get used to them being a certain size and then *poof* overnight they've exploded to the next level... their housing always becomes too small sooner than we poor overworked humans would expect. In fact, personally I would name it the single hardest thing about chicken keeping.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

I'm sorry to pile on, but that size tote is not big enough for a week.
Granted, I use one that size as a "nursery box" to place the chicks out of the incubator and watch them for the first couple days. That way we can be sure they're all eating and drinking.
But due to space restraints, for water I use a ceramic ramekin pilfered from my Moms kitchen, as that fits in a corner well and is heavy enough not to tip... and then I give them only the bottom of a chick feeder for their feed so they can walk right through it. Chicks love to think they can eat with their toes, lol, and making it fun gets them eating sooner. On the floor we have paper towel over a padding layer of fine shavings, so we can see they're all pooing successfully and they can't try to eat the shavings.

By the third day they are making too much mess. They need their big-girl brooder with room for full feeder & waterer. And much more length to have a nice cool end to retreat to when they get too warm. They're also starting to run around and try to flap their wings, and while that's easy to miss noticing as a chick need since they can't talk, if you see chicks of the same ages in more space it becomes clear when they're missing out. And that is something that's hard to keep up with as they grow... Chicks are like popcorn. You get used to them being a certain size and then *poof* overnight they've exploded to the next level... their housing always becomes too small sooner than we poor overworked humans would expect. In fact, personally I would name it the single hardest thing about chicken keeping.

This is what I’m using it for too… I only have 6 shipped eggs in the incubator. Everyone keeos saying what poor hatch rates shipped eggs have on this site so I don’t think I’m going to have very many chicks here.

I’m now wondering what size tote everyone was recommending to use as a brooder box as it is one of the most commonly recommended things to use for a brooder and I got the very biggest one in a massive store with a huge selection? So, if the biggest tote I have seen is too small for one week for only a few chicks, I’m confused by the tote recommendations?