Too many brooder options

[Bodhisan]

All you really need is your heat-plate or lamp and your existing coop. If you want to keep your littles indoors for a week (no sauna needed) just set them up in a Rubbermaid-type tub with a screen over it. Your heat plate and all their "necessities" will fit in there just fine, and you get to enjoy your peepers "up close and personal!"

This is how I've successfully brooded chicks (the coop portion). I built a very, very simple elevated (above the nesting boxes) brooder that has a wood floor, frame, and walled/ceilinged with hardware cloth - and a swinging door. It is butted up against the side of the coop, with a little pop door and ramp that leads to their own enclosed run, which is just part of the hens' 10'x10' covered run. I use the heating pad method, having enough room in the brooder for them to be under it or outside of it. The pop door (about 6"x9") stays open, allowing them to organically decide when they want to come out and get some fresh air. Did this in April with 3-day-old chicks, when temps got down to the low 30's and pretty much stayed around 45 as an average until May, when it started warming up a bit - they did just fine. This gives the hens plenty of time to see them 24 hours a day - and for the chicks to watch my hens, and especially how to use the nipple water container when they're older. At about 4 weeks, I gave them an opening big enough for them to get in and out of their separate run, but too small for the hens to get thru, and they began getting braver, coming out into the bigger 10' x 40' run (surrounded by wire fencing small enough to keep out raccoons and bobcats - but they sometimes get visits from little juncos .).

 

[Appenzeller friend]

This is probably the millionth time someone has asked a brooder question. We have worked for months on the run/henhouse and still to haven't nailed down the brooder portion. And 12 chicks arrive next week from Alchemist Farms. I am starting to feel a little panicky here.

Okay, el numero uno is just a few hour option that I like but want to make triple sure this is okay:

We have a large far infra red sauna (provides a gentle heat and doesn't hurt eyes) that I can put them in for the first few hours after they arrive, not loose in there, but an appropriate sized small box. I can set the temp as low as I need. I know when I get it in, my dogs beg to get in, and I will let them sit in there for about 10 minutes with me as it heating up (I get in at 100 deg and let it go further). Anyways, I am thinking the far infrared would help them feel better fast and in a gentle way.

2. We bought a big clear tub for the first few days/week. I have the heat lamp and the red bulb, but also got the Brinsea heater. Do I need a chick heat pad, too?

Now on to the longer term.

3. We can purchase an 8 person tent from Big 5 or we can get plywood and make a big 4x8 box. Both cost the same. I am thinking if we did the plywood box we could set it up in the run, which is where I think they ought to be. It would be say, after the first week or two.

4. We have a 5x5x8 grow tent that is set up and hasn't been used in a year. (I need to take it down today and set up the camping tent if that is the route, or build the plywood box in there with a puzzle type construction that comes apart. I don't how else to describe but y'all probably know what I mean. What I am concerned about is the reflection. I can hang some sort of sheets on walls to defect that. We have cross bars at 5' that it could attach to. We have a ventilation system that can pull air through. And no, I am not a silly goose, in no way would we use grow lights. It has two large doors front and back, and bottom screens. I know in the feed stores they put them in those galvanized stock tanks and they are fairly bright.

5. I can order one of the pet playpens from Amazon and have it here next week but think that won't last long.

6. The run is 12x21, super secure, we put 1/4" 19 gauge hardware cloth top to bottom, created great wind blocks the way we set the walls. Well shaded with trees. A mouse, or more importantly a fox or snake can't get in at all. They would be secure and I like the idea of them getting to run round and play and have space instead of cooped up with boring walls all around. So sooner than later there. We are still getting nights in 50s but days are pleasant in 70-80s. The henhouse stands in middle like an island.



So....what to do? We are good for the first week but will need to move them into something bigger rapidly.

The box in the tent photo is what we got for the initial brooding. I am not keen on plastic but didn't want cardboard. We only want to use the heat lamp the first day if at all. I am really liking the sauna idea. The henhouse and run will be totally completed this weekend. Only a few things to finish. Paint, nailing down a window for the henhouse, etc. and the clean up. What I would like to work out is sauna for first couple of hours, then in small brooder box in grow tent, then on to all grow tent space, then out to the chicken run as soon as they can. At least for chickie 'daycare' for them to play (and putting the Brinsea out there too at that time if needed).

I guess I was shocked to read you need to brood them upwards of 12 weeks before putting them outside. 20 something years ago, we lived in the mountains over mile high, and we got them outside as soon as we could, maybe 4 weeks, but we didn't have internet this overwhelming forest of opinions.

Thanks in advance for being patient reading this often asked question.

I use an old netted playpen, lined with a plastic sheet for my chicks and put an infrared heater in it. At about 3-4 weeks I cover it with another net as they can fly out of the pen. At 6 weeks they go into a small coop until they are integrated with the older hens.