Author Topic: outdoor brooders-musings (Read 2826 times)

lord flynn · « **on:** July 22, 2014, 04:54:56 pm »

so this year, I've been able to get the chicks outside much earlier-the nearly 3 week olds went out yesterday although still offered heat over night. I had some three week olds out a month or so ago and I have a broody with some week olds which doesnt really count. I've also hatched far more than I normally would and they are in groups of 12.

I read a while back about hay brooders (of yore

) and you needed a critical mass of about 50 chicks for those. And I know you have to have them out of draughts and wet before being feathered up. But crikey, its so much nicer having them outside being birds, rather than inside in a cage. They are all doing so well too-have fresh ground every couple of days, eating bugs, playing in branches-much better than constantly knocking their water/food over and filling it with poop.

Has anyone used a more old fashioned brooder like a hay brooder with any success? What age do you get yours outside and off heat (in a normal year).

Jukes Mum · « **Reply #1 on:** July 23, 2014, 08:25:28 am »

Sorry if its a stupid question- but what's a hay brooder?
My first hatch went out with not heat at 3 weeks and we are planning the same for the next lot when they hit 3 weeks.

lord flynn · « **Reply #2 on:** July 23, 2014, 09:33:01 am »

its basically a crate insulated with hay-no electric hen/bulb but with a roof obviously. They have a run attached. As I said, you need a fair few chicks to keep them warm enough but its what they used back in the day before gas brooders. I am probably just getting carried away with dry warm weather

Steph Hen · « **Reply #3 on:** July 26, 2014, 10:17:43 am »

Totally agree how good it is to get them out ASAP.
Not heard of hay brooder so can't comment.
I put baby chicks out in a run with bottom half solid wood sides. Cuts out drafts and seems to make them happy.
Put 29 incubator chicks under broody hen three weeks ago. Expected a small hatch as eggs were old and hatch previous in incubator was rubbish so thought hen would be fine...was only few days back hospital with new baby so unable to start sorting and cleansing brooder out.
I had them in a tiny house (-30*40*40cm) and covered run with wood along bottom. Even though they couldn't fit under her at once and we had some bad weather at start they've all thrived!

lord flynn · « **Reply #4 on:** July 26, 2014, 11:08:44 am »

congrats on the baby

-and the chicks! I think I will put more thought into outdoor runs for chicks for next year, hopefully picking up some silkie bantam crosses to help out on that front

I have a great run for one broody which is moveable but secure-could do with another.

clydesdaleclopper · « **Reply #5 on:** July 26, 2014, 05:25:13 pm »

I use an old kennel with run. It works great as a brooder.

Steph Hen · « **Reply #6 on:** July 26, 2014, 10:09:53 pm »

Thanks!
I like chicks to be reared outdoors and by a hen if pos. last year I had a hen with either18 or 19 and they did fine.
With this experience working out ok, think I'll be do it again in future. But for my spring hatches I'll have to have a think and prob keep using heat inside. My earliest hatch this year I put the broody in the brooder, heat at only one end, my brooder is 6:3 feet for a few days before putting them out in my run. Was only 8 or 10 chicks though.

They quickly outgrow mum, so need to kill all males as soon as I can tell them apart. So she has 21 three week old chicks now. These don't fit under her at once, but with good weather they're doing fine. No longer in the wee run; I can't be moving it all the time- they got just over a week then in big pen.