The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: twizzel on March 23, 2014, 05:41:30 pm
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I've got 5 duck eggs that are due to hatch Tues/Wed this week. I candled them last night and am sure they are pipping internally so put humidity up and will leave them to it. Thinking about the brooder, I'm going to use a big plastic storage box, but can anyone give any ideas on how to get the lamp above it? I don't have anywhere in the house I can hang a lamp up. Do people use a proper heat lamp or just a infrared bulb? Thanks :)
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we have a heat lamp with a chain for hanging ... we attach it to a sturdy music stand!
One of the benefits of being married to a musician! ;)
You just need something higher than the box - a clothes airer? hat stand? (!)
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we have used a broomstick with a light tied to it, balanced on something or other, if we weren't using our homemade pens - )which have hooks in the roof to hang the lamps).
just test the heat first incase it is too hot.
if you have a dog crate, then put the plastic box inside that and put a broomstick between the bars to hang the lamp off. iv always used a proper lamp with a metal safety cage thingy as im always scared it will catch fire if it falls.
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The white ceramic bulbs are better - less risk of going on fire
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We used a mic stand to hang ours from, depending what your using to feed them I made a little wooden stand to put the food/ water on to stop then pooping in it, good luck :fc:
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Personally I just use a Brinsea brooder - electric hen thing rather than bulb - which feels much safer. I was mostly going to say that a plastic storage box will not last long for ducklings. They grow at a phenomanal pace - far quicker than chicks (and I have six chicks in a storage box that are now looking cramped at a week old!). So make sure you have your next step lined up!
H
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I bought a brinsea brooder heater too this time and for the first wee while we have them in an indoor rabbit cage in the utility room!
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Next step is a large (huge ) crate, step after that is a fox proof pen down in the sheds! Thanks, I did look at the electric brooder but it seems quite expensive, will try and fashion a stand for heat lamp first :)
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Usually hang my lamp from a step ladder, I have found with ducklings an inflatable paddling pool works really well :&> :&>
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We have a long hook screwed into the wall (similar to the one I hang my cheese muslins on to drip the whey away). Currently 4 chicks in our brooder and like you, size of box will be increasing swiftly!
Other chick(s) is under mum in the broody coop.
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whey away
say it out loud - really made me chuckle! ;)
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;D
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I use the large size plastic Zoozones for newly hatched , being plastic up the sides keeps the mess in and the draughts out. then as it has a barred top you can connect a bulb fitting onto the top. I just use a normal bulb
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My brooder is a single bed frame with solid sides and wire panels on top. Ceramic heat lamp hung on chain from ceiling for warmth. I block off half the space till they're a few day old as I worry they might end up at the cool end and not make it back. Never happened mind. After a few days they seem to enjoy the space and zoom up and down. Used a large fish tank in the past, followed by a three foot sq box brooder. but now I like them having more space, I wouldn't like to go back to smaller model.
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A trug with a towel in the bottom for grip, a sturdy twig or dowel if you have, threaded through the handle loops at the top of the trug and tie the (ceramic) heat bulb to it with garden wire (hook it round so you can adjust). Worked very well for us for the first week.
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We have a big plastic storage box with a clip on lid and holes drilled in it for air for smaller hatches. Inside we have a Brinsea 20 electric hen thing which works really well and costs a lot less to run than a bulb, aside from the lack of fire risk. After a few days they go down the shed in a converted pallet box which came with a delivery of willow shoots. I lined the sides with some poly carbon clear sheets to let light in but keep vermin out then put a hinged lid on it and at one end a strip of wire mesh for air. Works pretty well but tough to clean out.
My next plan is to build a custom brooder with 2 sections and a sliding divider in between. In each side the floor will have a snug fitting plastic greenhouse tray in it. When it needs cleaning out, the chicks are sent to the other tray and the divider closed. Then the tray slides out for easy emptying.
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Oooh, I like the idea of the converted pallet box - not that I have one lying around. In the end I've had to move mine to a 'pen' in our spare bathroom (shortly to be converted to a bedroom so not that precious about cleanliness). I've just made a low wall of bricks round the outside and put the usual bedding inside, assuming the floor is waterproof since it's in a bathroom. Working well at the moment but still struggling to find a permanent solution - really need a rat proof outbuilding with an electricity supply and I think we're a few years off that one.