Market Chick Brooder Installation
We had market chicks coming which was a good thing since I’ve been out of chicken for a couple of months. But… there was another problem, where were we going to put them? In case you don’t know there are companies that sell chicks and send them out all over the United States through the mail. This is how we get our market chicks, they arrive through the USPS in little boxes and when the post office calls we go pick them up. And we need a place to put them once they get to us. Check out this video and Ron explains how and what he did.
Market Chicks in the Brooder
Chicks are not born with feathers, they have fuzz all over their bodies. So, they need a place that is warm, the temperature they need is in the 90’s to begin with and then as they mature and more feather form the temperature can start to decline. A lot of people put the chicks in a smaller type box called a brooder and keep it in a building out of the weather. We had the brooder box we just did not have a place in a building to keep them out of the weather.
Brilliant Idea
What we did have was a section in the chicken yard that was narrow and we used it to separate a sick or hurt animal. It was a perfect spot to create the warm, out of the weather area that we needed for the chicks! Ron created support at the top of the chicken fence and then draped a tarp over it. Then secured it so it won’t blow away, creating the perfect little area for the chicks as they grow. Raising chicks is a lot of work. Here is an article that goes into that more.
Tips for Creating a Safe Outside Market Chick Brooder
Some tips that we have learned during this process is to overbuild in security of the chicks. Predators come in many shapes and sizes and you want to make sure they can’t get through to your precious chicks. Weather is also something to always think about. Here in North Texas we had to worry more about not roasting our little chicks but in the North you have to worry about cooler temps. Know your weather.
Let me know if you raise chicks and have a brooder. I’d love to hear about it.
Here is to your homesteading dreams,
Shawn