Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
You'll need a clean, comfortable, and warm place, free of drafts and dampness - the
quickest way to end a chick's life is by putting it in cold and damp quarters. I always use
the bathroom as my default brooder room. Most bathrooms have plenty of sockets for a
heat lamp; floors conducive to scrubbing; a sealable door to guard against curious cats,
dogs, ferrets, and four-year-olds; and it's a place you're certain to visit several times a
day - convenient for making observations of temperature, food and water supply, and
overall goings-on.
The brooder can be as simple as a cardboard box or as elaborate as an old claw-foot
bathtub in a corner of the garage (providing your garage isn't damp and drafty). Just
make sure the sides are at least 18 inches high so the birds can't escape as they grow. A
chick that manages to fly out might not be able to get back to her food, water, and - most
importantly - heat source. What might seem somewhat comical on a warm July night
would be a calamity on a cold April morning. To make sure your chicks are securely
confined, consider fastening a screen over the top. This added safety measure will also
deter too-curious house cats.
ELECTRICITY
Unless you live in the jungle with a daily temperature that's already 90°F (32°C) or
warmer, you'll need a dependable source of constant electricity. When I say dependable,
I mean it. So make sure you have your nursery planned for a location with a good elec-
trical circuit and in a spot you can check on before you head out the door for work in
the morning. While your electrified toolshed might at first glance seem like the perfect
