[gsc]

Thinking of getting this - seen on eBay £16 with horrendous postage but local enough for me to collect.

BRAND NEW LARGE CHICK BROODER
The best quality & priced complete brooder start up package available on eBay and online!!   INCLUDES:

Heat bulb (60w)
400g Bag of quality chick crumbs (RRP £2.97)
Bag of sawdust
2 x Water/food bowls

Anti-slip mats that prevent spayed legs in young chicks & ducklings, Only £3.99 each and buy 3 get the 4th FREE

[joyfull]

I would buy a sack of chick crumb (you will need it as they are on it for at least 6 weeks, a bale of shavibgs/hemcore, chick feeder/drinker as you will be doing this more than once anyway  ) and get a large plastic box or an old kitchen cupboard for the brooder box (like grannie Annie) - then when they get bigger do like hillfooter did and use an old wardrobe. Not sure about the heat light but try asking G. Annie.
As for non slip matts (this helps to prevent splayed legs) you can get a roll of it from places like wilkos or pound shops. It's the stuff that you use in cars to prevent stuff from rolling around (like rubberised netting/material).

[8doubles]

I think the heat bulb in the advert is just a red 60w bulb. Best get a stock in before energy saving bulbs take over the world.

[gsc]

Many thanks - what size box for 20 chicks (ha ha - how's that for optimism?)

[Casey76]

I used this first:



Then moved onto:



Before moving to:

[gsc]

Wow - that looks like fun

[Kate and her Ducks]

I use old towels as antislip mats. Absorbant as well as antislip. Then just bung them in the washing machine. A lot cheaper. Otherwise pretty much identical to the pics above.

[Chookiechook]

I have the exact same cage as  Casey76   plus about 12 more!!! I got them all from freecycle/carboot sales    You just have to be quick...

Agree with others that it will be more cost effective to buy the rest in bulk

[gsc]

Thanks all - we have a country store a few mins away.  Will go see what they have.

[GrannieAnnie]

Ours are similar to Casey's too, except once the chicks go into the big brooder we use hardboard shaped into a round or oval to whatever size we need.

You would need a fair size for 20 chicks though.  they need room to run around.  ordinary red bulbs are fine for a few chicks, but you really need a proper heat lamp for 20, something like this....

http://www.solwayfeeders.com/ProductsResultsList1.asp?cat=10

or the electric hen like on the bottom on that page

or this!  

[gsc]

O M G !!!!!

GrannieAnnie - are you warning me?  I know I've already jumped in the deepend but I guess there's deeper yet.

[gsc]

Ok - think I'm going to get an electric hen then improvise for the rest.

Next question is - what size?

30x30cm 14watt throught to larger at 68 watt with regulator.

I like the idea of the regulator but since I can only hatch 20 at a time ........?

[Casey76]

I have a 30x30 without regulator, and after a heat lamp it doesn't feel very warm at all!  However the chicks are happy, and at the minute seem to spend more time on top of it than underneath it!

One advantage of the EH, is tha you have have 2 legs shorter than the others to that the whole hen is on a slope to accomodate if you hatch LF and bantams at the same time... the bantams go under the low bit, and the LF under the high bit.

I'll have to try and get a photo, but they look so cute lying flat out with thier heads poking out from underneath the EH, but their bodies under it!

[gsc]

I ordered a 40X40cm ELECTRIC BROODER off eBay - price was good at £32 although I suckered myself into buying a high intensity egg candler at £22- need to see through though ultra dark Marans eggs - if the seller gets in touch  

I got a drinker and feeder too and I think I will improvise with towels and dog cages for the rest.  Next decision will be where to keep them - away from dogs and cat - maybe in the gym since I havent't been using it (yes I know - another of my bright ideas  - but I will start again after my hols - promise - unless the chooks take over  )

ps - Casey - How old are they in that last picture?

[Casey76]

They were four and a half weeks... they went outside about 3 days after!

They are table birds though, and although they are "slow growing" they still grow much faster and feather up much faster than "normal" birds (Though I wish someone would tell my LS that - he is enormous).

Wherever you keep them it should really be a consistent temperature.  The room doesn't have to be warm, but the fewer temperature fluctuations the better (this is also important for the incubator... and you don't want the incubator next to your bedroom - it is NOISY!)

When my chicks are in the cage, I'll let my cats sit with them unsupervised... My Tabby, Tiger (as in the photo!) loves the little chicks and happily spends hours, just sleeping next to the cage - but I suppose it depends on the cats lol!