The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: mojocafa on March 12, 2013, 08:22:18 pm
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I am going to incubate eggs, once they hatch what does everyone do?
Use bought brooders or homemade with heat lamps?
Mojo
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home made with heat lamp alot cheaper
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I use a large indoor rabbit cage with a heat lamp
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How many eggs are you going to hatch if it only 20 - 30 an electric hen is a lot cheaper to run.
Graham
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I use a large indoor rabbit cage with a heat lamp
Ditto :thumbsup:
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About 20, all going well. What is an electric hen?
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I'm wanting to hatch for the first time in a few weeks and have a brinsea brooder ( which I think is also known as an electric hen ). I chose this as it uses much less electricity and the fact I'm worried about leaving a heat lamp unsupervised in such close proximity to flammable material ( wooden box ) in the house.
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What is an electric hen?
A heating device something like this:
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/shop/ecoglow-20-brooder-lamp/ (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/shop/ecoglow-20-brooder-lamp/)
More efficient and safer than an infra-red lamp.
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I ordered my first incubator on monday, i got a brinsea starter pack which comes with the above electric hen so that what i'll be using. Have to admit, it does sound safer and more efficient than a bulb. I'll soon see!
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Hi,this is the type I use,you can get up to 40 chicks under it.Its like a big hot plate and only uses 40 watts of electric as opposed to 250w for a heat lamp so big saving on electric.I have chicks in a shed outside all through this and the last lot of snow without any problems.
Graham.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/40-x-40-ELECTRIC-HEN-BROODER-HEAT-LAMP-CHICKS-/121077572510?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry&hash=item1c30c9239e (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/40-x-40-ELECTRIC-HEN-BROODER-HEAT-LAMP-CHICKS-/121077572510?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry&hash=item1c30c9239e)
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Cheers for info, happy hatching everyone
Mojo
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I've got the Brinsea brooder and a heat lamp. I actually prefer the heat lamp as when I last hatched anything out it was geese and they were too big and stupid to go under the brooder. I've just put some Appenzeller hen eggs in the incy and when they hatch I'll probably use the brooder as it is cheaper and safer to run. Hopefully chicks are more sensible than goslings ::)
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Hi,I raised dozens of geese last year and will be again this year.All raise under an electric hen without any problems at all.
Below is a picture of some gosling's as I have just lifted a 40cm X 40cm electric hen off,these gosling's are 2 to 3 days old,they found the electric hen with out any problems.
Graham.
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc431/graham68j/SL380248.jpg)
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awwww!! I nearly bought the brinsea brooder but was put off by reviews somewhere that said they started jumping on it and thought it was only useful for 1st week???? Obviously not! I have 2 ceramic bulbs (125 and 250 w) , a holder and then just use ever bigger cardboard boxes. Go down to lower w bulb after a week or so, but keep on heat until feathered (gradually wean off). Am I being a bit soft?
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awwww!! I nearly bought the brinsea brooder but was put off by reviews somewhere that said they started jumping on it and thought it was only useful for 1st week? ??? Obviously not! I have 2 ceramic bulbs (125 and 250 w) , a holder and then just use ever bigger cardboard boxes. Go down to lower w bulb after a week or so, but keep on heat until feathered (gradually wean off). Am I being a bit soft?
I bought 10 Speckled rock chicks and piut them in with an electric brooder, they went straight under it and spent a lot of time there for a few days only coming out for food and water.
The chicks are now nearly 4 weeks old and while they do jump pon the brooder they still go under it at night.
I would much rather use the brooder than a heat lamp, they are very easy to clean and the do not get too hot. The chocks can also move around the area they are kept and return under the brooder when they are cold.
My 10 chicks are in a box 4'*2'*2' and have been since they were a week old, there is a mesh lid on the box, the box is in a spare room in the house as the weather has been very cold and will probably stay in there until around 8 weeks old, hopefully it will then be warm enough for them to go to the shed for a few weeks before they go into a small outdoor run and coop.
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Oh, I'm so glad this thread has started. How long would one of these brooders work with goslings before they're too tall for it? Does it completely cover the time until they're feathered enough to go outside on their own? How big is the enclosure you put it into? I can't really work out where to put it either - it can't go into the poultry run because I have no electricity up there or anywhere close but I'm also worried about putting them into an outhouse because I'd be worried rats would get them. Oh, and I think my husband would have a problem with them in the main house. So where do you put your little hatchlings?
I'm still hoping to use a broody but I can't see that many goslings will fit under her for long.
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with you on the rats cats and no electricity to out buildings! In the house for us untill they get too smelly - then shift them into utility room under the house (by which time they are at least bigger than a rat mouthful). They do make a hell of a mess in the house (flapping sawdust dust out of their box) - but I couldnt not do it!
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please remember that a 150 lamp costs 1 pound a day i use 5 iv just had a winter bill for 520 2 sheds not doing it next yare
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Electric hens here. We have various sizes.Also home made wooden brooders and plastic rabbit hutches which are great. Was thinking about getting a few of the extendable brooder rings as well. We don't use heat lamps unless nothing else available as its far to expensive.
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I actualy use the large zoozone rabbit/guineapig cages having the plastic sides right up the sides it cuts down on drafts and I can hang a 40 w bulb up from the bars above.
Never had to use higher than a 40w and never lost a chick :thumbsup: