Rearing Chicks - Brooders

The newly hatched chick is remarkably robust. When it emerges from the egg it looks very still and damp but in a short time its down feathers have fluffed up and it is walking about. The remnants of the yolk are contained in its abdomen so it will not require feeding until the following day. What it does need however, is a warm, protected environment.

Chicks are best left in the hatcher for 24 hours after hatching. Here they are warm and secure, but they will need more room once they are all moving around. A brooder is an area where they can be reared until they are hardy enough to do without artificial heat. Purpose-made brooders are available from suppliers but it is easy enough to make your own. A large, deep cardboard box with wood shavings or sawdust in the bottom is suitable. For small bantam or quail chicks, sawdust is better otherwise they get lost in the shavings. A heat lamp suspended above it will keep the chicks warm, while a feeder and drinker provide for their nutritional needs.

Some people construct a circular wall of corrugated cardboard, adding extra sections to provide more space as the chicks grow. It is also possible to buy brooder rings. For just a small number of chicks I’ve found a garden weed container such as the Jumbo Tip Bag to be ideal. It’s made of woven polypropylene, is semi-rigid so holds its shape, and has strong webbing handles. It’s light and easy to move about and keeps the surrounding area clean and tidy because it’s completely waterproof.

As I put mine in the conservatory this is an important factor. The nice thing about it is that once it has finished being a brooder, it’s easily cleaned and ready to become a weeding container again.

I’ve also used a small fish tank as a brooder for quail chicks. They are so tiny that they can easily disappear into the cracks and crevices that may be present when a ring of cardboard is used.

A disused rabbit hutch also makes a good brooder for larger chicks. In fact, one of my Muscovy ducks always hatched and reared her brood in a hutch. From here, she would parade them out every day.

Any wood shavings or sawdust litter need to be those that are specifically produced for poultry or animal use. Those from other sources may contain toxins from treated wood. Bags are widely available from farm shop suppliers. The litter should be quite thick to provide an insulating layer. With my weeding container, I use a layer of newspaper underneath.

It is important to stress that if a brooding area is set up inside a shed or outbuilding, measures should be taken to ensure that there is no possibility of rats getting in.

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Copyright © Katie Thear 2005