Brooder box question

[Elliott]

My wife and I are planning on getting chicks this year. We have a brooder box set up inside a clear Rubbermaid that is inside a medium dog crate. We plan on getting 4 chicks. Will this brooder box be big enough for all 4 chicks until they go to the coop? Or will we need a bigger brooder box?

[nwwanderer]

Plenty big enough, caution if using a heat lamp, plastic tubs melt and burn.

[PolarBear]

We have 8 in a 4'X2' stock tank.  They have plenty of room.

[Birdguy]

Plenty of room agreed! Think about the heating element you decide to use. They make brooder heat plates that are awesome but may be more than you want to spend for just 4 chicks unless you plan to do more chicks in the future (amazon is a great place to get one) and you could re-sell it after use too. For 4 chicks a 60watt bulb may well do the job if you monitor the heat and the chicks activity. Good luck .

[Elliott]

Well we got 5 yesterday: 1 Rhode island red, 1 barred plymouth rock, 1 buff orpington, 1 white leghorn (mine) and 1 Silver laced Polish (wife's chick). 250 watt red heat lamp is hanging inside the crate, plastic isn't melting, temp is right at 99.5. Chicks are running around, chirping, eating, drinking and having fun.

[Elliott]

Make that 6, wife picked up a black wyandotte for .45¢ today.

[jennabug]

Make that 6, wife picked up a black wyandotte for .45¢ today.

That's called chicken math... you always end up with more than origianlly planned.

Anyway, I wanted to share a couple of my favorite brooder hacks.
- Plug the heat lamp on a dimmer attachment when you want to start weaning them off heat. It's easier than moving the lamp up.
- Set the waterer and feeder up on a paver or a shallow dish to keep it a bit separated from the bedding. It will reduce the amount of mess.

[boneaddict]

FUN!


I opened the door to the coup this weekend.  I always get a kick out of the newbies hovering by the door looking out at the big world. 

[BDildine]

fair warning, as said "chicken math"....I had to set a ceiling for the wife, otherwise you'd think i was running a commercial poultry farm

[Elliott]

Make that 6, wife picked up a black wyandotte for .45¢ today.

That's called chicken math... you always end up with more than origianlly planned.

Anyway, I wanted to share a couple of my favorite brooder hacks.
- Plug the heat lamp on a dimmer attachment when you want to start weaning them off heat. It's easier than moving the lamp up.
- Set the waterer and feeder up on a paver or a shallow dish to keep it a bit separated from the bedding. It will reduce the amount of mess.

The waterer is on a 2x6 and the feeder gets changed everyday, they like to roost on it and poop in the food... bird brains.

fair warning, as said "chicken math"....I had to set a ceiling for the wife, otherwise you'd think i was running a commercial poultry farm

According to the city code, we can only have 1 bird per 1000 sq ft. of lot, with a 10,000 sqft lot, we can only have 10, but right now our limiting factor is coop in a box from tractor supply.

Cant wait to get them out of the house and into the garage.