Has anyone used a plastic container as a brooder?

[Sillystunt]

I use the 85 watt colored flood lights. The blue is nice and i also have red and green. Temps stay up and i have them outside. they look pretty at night. Never had a problem with melting the plastic.......knock on wood

 

[mstricer]

Quote:
Me to, I just recently found 100 watt red floods its nice in the beginning trying to keep heat up.

 

[Cara]

I don't like them, they seem to increase the risk of piling/smothering in the corners. I have some foldable wire rabbit cages that I love, the entire thing is wire and they have slide-out trays for the poop. They provide lots of space for chicks to breathe.

 

[tri-5-ron]

Here's mine, works great....

 

[tammyd57]

Quote:
That looks just like mine. I put two old oven racks on the top so I can open one side at a time.
Same box, same light fixture though.
I love it! Easy to clean and you can see through the sides.

 

[Laurieks]

plastic tubs are the best! Drill holes to tie a 'rabbit' water bottle in one corner (with stout twistie ties or wire), add playground sand for a slip proof floor, a few pieces of driftwood to climb on (salt soaked wood holds heat better), a chick feeder, a brooder lamp with a 125 watt bulb and you're set!
Mine is covered with a door from a dog crate, and works nicely. The lamp is hung from its clamp by a chain so I can move it up & down easily. Smear yougurt (plain or mixed with egg or chick starter) on the walls if they look bored (or if you need even more entertainment!)
I bought a ceramic heat emitter, 100 watt, and it wasn't quite warm enough, so the older chick has it. Those come in many wattages, get 125 if you can. They were spendy, on line they were all $37.50, at the store they went up with wattage.

I dump the sand out once a week & the layers come dig out the food the babies missed. If it got moldy under the waterer it went in the compost. There is a post here about chicks dying from mold under the waterer, so keep it clean & dry. That can happen in any container.

Enjoy those chicks!

 

[quietheart]

I've been using these tubs since I started raising chicks last July, love em!

 

[tlbunting1962]

I use a rubber maid tub and clean it every day. It is a lot easier than cardboard. I lay newspapers and then paper towels. My babies are now about two weeks old. They are doing great. Getting bigger. I wish the weather would stay warm so we could take them outside more. It is not fair that they have to be cooped (ha ha a funny) up in the house. I place a screen over the top of the container to keep them in and the dog and cat out. You know what is funny is that if the dog hears a different call from the container she comes running to check on them. The cat just sits and watches them. We have not had any attempts of trying to get to them. So they have been accepted into the family and we just love them. i want to get more and will have to visit the next swap that is coming this month.

 

[tlbunting1962]

Oh yeah I forgot to add we have a nice size branch in there for them to roost on. It is hilarious to watch them sleep on it or play queen of the branch.

 

[chicken boy sam]

They seem pretty happy.