When your chicks have hatched and are completely dried, they can be moved from the incubator to a brooder.
(:1f414:) What is a chicken baker?
A chicken coop is a special coop especially for chickens. Chickens need a special coop because they have special requirements, such as warmth and shelter from drafts. Raising chicks in an inappropriate hatchery can lead to a variety of problemsspread legsfor diseases such ascoccidiosisInrespiratory infections.
(:1f414:) What can I use as a brooder for chickens?
All kinds of containers can be used as breeding boxes. It all depends on how many chicks you have, where you keep them, what heat source you use and whether you want to reuse your incubator.
Although you can use almost anything, here are some common chicken nest boxes:
- Cardboard Boxes - These simple incubators can be expanded and replaced for free! But they can be dangerous if used with a heat lamp!
- Plastic Bins - Easy to clean and available in many sizes. Plastic containers are a sustainable breeding option.
- Storage Containers - Why not upcycle a storage container, especially if the lid is missing? These incubators are easy to clean and reusable.
- Small coops – Cages are often too drafty for small chickens, even when kept indoors. But they are a good option for larger babies, for example when they are 3 or 4 weeks old.
- Cages – Soft-sided cages are a good option for indoor chickens, but they can be difficult to clean unless they can be machine washed. It can also be too drafty for small chicks and dangerous when used with a heat lamp.
- Shed or parts of a shed - A cozy, draught-free shed can make a good chicken breeding area if it is divided to the right size and kept warm.
- Fish Tank - Fish tank is another reusable incubator that can accommodate a heat lamp.
Commercially made incubators are also available, but for backyard growers, a do-it-yourself option is usually more practical and affordable. If you regularly raise a large number of chickens, a commercial incubator can be a worthwhile investment.
(:1f414:) How big should an incubator be?
Ideally, the brood should be more gregarious at first and grow larger as the chicks grow. New chicks need about 6 inches of space each, and by 4 weeks old the chicks will need double or triple that space.
Regardless of the size of the brood, the young should always have room to move aroundheat sourceif they get too hot. It is also important to avoid traffic jams.
For new chicks, a large brooder can be intimidating or prevent them from finding food and water. If the chicks stray from the heat source, they may not be able to find their way back, especially at night, and large broods are more difficult to heat effectively. If the chickens get cold, they can easily get sick or die.
When the young are older and more confident, a larger incubator is useful. Exploring is fun. Providing chicks with enough space can help prevent feather pecking, bullying and other problems.
(:1f414:) What do the breeders need?
Whatever you choose, there are a few things hatchers need to keep your chicks happy, healthy and safe.
A sturdy non-slip floor
Because chickens are so small, even something like cardboard, newspaper, wood or plastic is too slippery for their little feet.spread legs, a deformity common in chickens. Although splayed legs are usually treatable, it is best to start on the right foot with a non-slip breeding floor.
New chicks have not yet learned to identify food. They can get sick if they eat their bedding, so regular floor space is important for the first few days. Suitable breeding floors for new chicks include:
- Paper towel
- Old towels
- Blanket
- Artificial grass
- Hyldeforing
When the chicks have differentiated between litter and food, the brood floor can be changed to:
- Wood curls
- Shredded paper
- Chopped straw
- Sand
- Hemp bedding
All carpeting should be cut to size, as chickens can easily become entangled and suffocate on folded materials such as towels and pillowcases. Contaminated floors must be cleaned or disposed of to prevent diseases. Wire floors are not recommended as they can damage delicate feet.
Protection against drafts
Chickens are very sensitive to drafts and easily get sick if they are not protected, even in warm weather. For this reason, incubators with fixed sides are preferred and incubators are best placed indoors. Even when kept indoors, incubators with mesh or wire walls can be too airy for young chicks. When placed outside, the incubators must be wind and rainproof and have sturdy sides.
God ventilation
Just as drafts can cause illness, so can poor ventilation. Breeders need good ventilation to prevent moisture formation and to allow any ammonia formed from the manure to evaporate. Keeping the bakery clean can also prevent ammonia from building upbreathing problems.
High sides
Open hatchers are good at caring for chicks, but chicks will quickly learn to pop out if they can. A roof or lid, even if it is just a towel or piece of cardboard, can be very helpful. It keeps the young indoors and can also help conserve heat, especially at night. However, be careful about overheating!
A heat source
The traditional rule is to keep chickens between 32 and 35 years oldOC the first week and reduce the temperature by 2-3OC every week thereafter. However, we all know that chickens raised by a mother hen are not kept at the right temperature. After a few days, they will begin to explore the yard outside their mother's coop, even in cooler areas. This tells us that as long as the chicks are protected from drafts and have a reliable source of heat when they want it, there is no need to keep them at exactly 32-35.OC all the time.
There are many different heat sources available for incubators:
- Hot water bottles can be used, but the temperature fluctuates widely and must be refilled regularly, even at night.
- Heating pads are another option for incubators, but they can be a fire hazard and often operate at temperatures that are too high for chicks.
- Heat lamps, or in emergencies normal lamps, are the most traditional heating devices. Although they are warm, heat lamps can cause overheating more easily than hot water bottles or chicken plates. They are also known to cause fires, making them a dangerous choice if you're not home all the time. Some chicken keepers also don't like heat lamps because the chickens don't learn to sleep at night.
- Chicken platesis a modern brooding heat source designed for the backyard chicken coop. They provide radiant heat and are built in such a way that the chicks can nestle underneath, just like a mother hen. The main advantage of chicken plates compared to other options is their safety: they do not pose a fire hazard, unlike heat lamps, and they are less likely to cause overheating, as radiant heat is easily avoided, unlike heaters that heat the air in the kitchen. incubator. .
Whatever heat source is chosen, chickens must always be able to get away from it if it gets too hot.
(:1f414:) How do you keep the incubators clean?
Embroidery design must always be kept clean.
Dirty conditions, especially contaminated food and water, can cause diseases, includingcoccidiosis, which is often fatal to chickens. Bedding should be changed regularly as wet or dirty bedding can produce and promote ammoniarespiratory diseases.
If you use an incubator for multiple groups of chickens, it must always be cleaned thoroughly and afterwardsdisinfectedto prevent the spread of diseases.
(:1f414:) How long should chicks stay in an incubator?
Although it varies, chicks should remain in incubators for about six weeks, or until they develop adult feathers. When the chicks are 3 to 4 weeks old, they can leave the brood in warm weather. Placing a playpen on the grass on a hot day can be a great way to let children explore and sunbathe. Some chicken keepers move their chicks from an incubator to a small coop or garden after five or six weeks, providing a small source of heat at night and allowing the chicks to roam during the day.
Do you have more questions about raising chickens? You might also like these other blog articles:
- How to treat splayed legs in chickens
- Introducing new chicks to the flock
Have fun breeding!
Rachael has dinner at Chook Australia
