The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Shropshirelass on February 05, 2013, 10:04:48 pm

Title: Brooders?
Post by: Shropshirelass on February 05, 2013, 10:04:48 pm

Hi all I was just wondering about how people rate these types of brooders over the electric hens as I've tried with a heat lamp & brooding cage 1 year with hen chicks too pretty poor results to be honest & we've done a lot better off heat with chicks, ducklings & goslings but with the turkey poults when hatched I've been really advised to brood for at least 2 weeks - so brooding them is a new ish thing for me -we'll try & use hens as much as we can but has anyone had exspeirence with these types of brooders below:

 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Novital-16-Egg-Incubator-Chick-Incubator-Egg-Incubator-Chick-Rearing-Brooder-/140912162222?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry&hash=item20cf04f5ae (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Novital-16-Egg-Incubator-Chick-Incubator-Egg-Incubator-Chick-Rearing-Brooder-/140912162222?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry&hash=item20cf04f5ae)

http://www.theincubatorshop.co.uk/products/details/335.html?adid=345&dyadid=346 (http://www.theincubatorshop.co.uk/products/details/335.html?adid=345&dyadid=346)   

 - This is the 1 I'm thinking of getting (Above)

Title: Re: Brooders?
Post by: Marches Farmer on February 07, 2013, 05:35:02 pm

We've used an electric brooder of this type (although not this particular model) for some years, with excellent results.  We remove newly hatched chicks from the incubator once a day if completely dry and pop them straight under the broody (which is kept in a huge cardboard box in the living room), with shallow containers of feed and water just in front, and leave them to get on with it.  We raise it as they grow and turn the broody off during the day from around day 16, then all the time from  day 19.  They then go into a special chick coop and run in one of the outbuildings and the whole thing starts again.  We don't begin incubating until the beginning of April, depending on the weather.

Title: Re: Brooders?
Post by: Daisys Mum on February 07, 2013, 07:16:45 pm

I have never used a brooder but like the look of that one so i think that may be my valentines present to myself,cos if I don't buy me something no one else will :huff: . To be fair OH is away working at the moment so I will just tell him what he has bought me  :innocent:

Title: Re: Brooders?
Post by: Shropshirelass on February 08, 2013, 10:51:52 am

Ah ok thanks, do you lot use any feeds in-particular for young turkeys? or will chick crumbs do as I was told when they are older they can go on just grain & then a turkey finished just 2 weeks before slaughter? x

Title: Re: Brooders?
Post by: the great composto on February 08, 2013, 11:12:12 am

I have one of the brooders that is the first one you mention ( only paid 35 for it though).

The pain is turning the eggs manually & so I switched to an automatic one and found it was faulty & lost some hatchings.

Much happier with the manual one - gives good temperature and humidity.