Jen144 0 Posted March 2, 2009 Member ID: 4,580 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 136 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 707 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 4,920 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/08/08 Status: Offline Last Seen: April 30, 2015 Birthday: 14/04/1995 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I have two pairs breeding at the moment, and just in case of an emergency I have set up a homemade brooder for any chicks I might need to handfeed. I've used a large plastic storage container, made a lid with mesh on top for air-flow..put a heat-lamp on the top of the lid and used a fishtank thermometer for the temperature..inside is the thermometer in the middle of the brooder, and a towel on the bottom.. I'm testing it at the moment so everything will be set up if/when I may need to use it. The thermometer says the temperature is around 35 degrees Celsius (about 83 Farenheit) but it feels only a bit warmer than room temperature..is it right, I have the lamp at one end and the thermometer at the middle.. Here are some pics, keep in mind it is not finished.. My main questions are, is what I have set up okay? What should be improved? Would the temperature be accurate with what I am using (I think it is meant to be used underwater in a fishtank) or should I get something better? I have researched how to handfeed a lot and watched videos of it on youtube. Is this good enough for an emergency when I have to handfeed for a short amount of time..I'm hoping for a short amount of time, if that is somehow not possible would that amount of experience be alright...or should I get a vet or someone to show me how as well? I have handfed baby birds before but not for the whole time until weaning, and then only once with budgies... Link to comment
Jen144 0 Posted March 2, 2009 Member ID: 4,580 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 136 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 707 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 4,920 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/08/08 Status: Offline Last Seen: April 30, 2015 Birthday: 14/04/1995 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 Anyone? Link to comment
Angelic Vampyre 0 Posted March 2, 2009 Member ID: 3,545 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 207 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 2,028 Content Per Day: 0.33 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 13,140 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/07/07 Status: Offline Last Seen: July 26, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Good start only issue is the temp, how can you maintain it? Link to comment
dodger 0 Posted March 2, 2009 Member ID: 4,474 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 31 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 133 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 1,050 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/07/08 Status: Offline Last Seen: November 14, 2009 Birthday: 06/06/1945 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I have two pairs breeding at the moment, and just in case of an emergency I have set up a homemade brooder for any chicks I might need to handfeed. I've used a large plastic storage container, made a lid with mesh on top for air-flow..put a heat-lamp on the top of the lid and used a fishtank thermometer for the temperature..inside is the thermometer in the middle of the brooder, and a towel on the bottom.. I'm testing it at the moment so everything will be set up if/when I may need to use it. The thermometer says the temperature is around 35 degrees Celsius (about 83 Farenheit) but it feels only a bit warmer than room temperature..is it right, I have the lamp at one end and the thermometer at the middle.. Here are some pics, keep in mind it is not finished.. My main questions are, is what I have set up okay? What should be improved? Would the temperature be accurate with what I am using (I think it is meant to be used underwater in a fishtank) or should I get something better? I have researched how to handfeed a lot and watched videos of it on youtube. Is this good enough for an emergency when I have to handfeed for a short amount of time..I'm hoping for a short amount of time, if that is somehow not possible would that amount of experience be alright...or should I get a vet or someone to show me how as well? I have handfed baby birds before but not for the whole time until weaning, and then only once with budgies... Hi Jen one ? in the pics it looks to me as though the outer part of the light is (distorted melted ) you may have a to powful globe in there id check it out if i was you Link to comment
Jen144 0 Posted March 3, 2009 Member ID: 4,580 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 136 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 707 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 4,920 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/08/08 Status: Offline Last Seen: April 30, 2015 Birthday: 14/04/1995 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 Good start only issue is the temp, how can you maintain it? I don't get what you're asking? I would the lamp on all the time to keep the temperature the same..and I can easily change how hot or cold it is by how much of the top I cover, etc.. Oh, and the light is dented, that is all. Not the best looking lamp but it works perfectly. :rofl: Link to comment
Angelic Vampyre 0 Posted March 3, 2009 Member ID: 3,545 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 207 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 2,028 Content Per Day: 0.33 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 13,140 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/07/07 Status: Offline Last Seen: July 26, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2009 One of the issues with Brooders is that as the temp changes in the room the brooder is in the temp changes within it. You need to get a themostate that way if it gets to warm the lights turn off and the brooder cools down also if it gets to cold the light goes on and the tmep goes up. Sort of like a Lizard enclosure. This is one o the biggest issues with brooders you run the risk of the chicks getting cold or to hot. Link to comment
Jen144 0 Posted March 3, 2009 Member ID: 4,580 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 136 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 707 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 4,920 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/08/08 Status: Offline Last Seen: April 30, 2015 Birthday: 14/04/1995 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 (edited) Well it does get cold at night here so the brooder would get colder too..but the temp it is at during the day is about 33 degrees or so (I'm having the temperature for about a 2 week old budgie, I'll change the temp if I need to use it for a younger one) and during the night it drops to about 30...Would that amount of difference be okay or should I really get a thermostat? I'm not completely sure as to the exact temperatures though I will check tonight to be sure..I turned on the light at about midday and I'll keep it on til midday tomorrow and tell you how the temp changes if that's okay? Where could I find one and any idea of the price range for one? Edited March 3, 2009 by Jen144 Link to comment
melbournebudgies 0 Posted March 3, 2009 Member ID: 4,233 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 329 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 4,498 Content Per Day: 0.77 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 28,540 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/04/08 Status: Offline Last Seen: July 2, 2010 Birthday: 17/12/1982 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Oftenreptile shops sell thermostats for people adding them to their reptile enclosures, you can also buy them at places like middy's but they seem to be more expensive there. I was told about $30 at th reptile shop, much more at Middy's Link to comment
Jen144 0 Posted March 3, 2009 Member ID: 4,580 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 136 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 707 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 4,920 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/08/08 Status: Offline Last Seen: April 30, 2015 Birthday: 14/04/1995 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 Okay then thanks. What sort of temperature changes are okay or too much? So I know if I do need to buy one or not.. Link to comment
melbournebudgies 0 Posted March 3, 2009 Member ID: 4,233 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 329 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 4,498 Content Per Day: 0.77 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 28,540 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/04/08 Status: Offline Last Seen: July 2, 2010 Birthday: 17/12/1982 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I don't have one on my brooderbut my setup is quite different to yours, at two weeks they aren't too bad at maintaining their temp so a drop of a few degrees at night wouldn't be a huge problem as long as it was only small and you are sure of the temp. Link to comment
Jen144 0 Posted March 3, 2009 Member ID: 4,580 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 136 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 707 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 4,920 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/08/08 Status: Offline Last Seen: April 30, 2015 Birthday: 14/04/1995 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 Okay I have the light on and will keep it on for 24 hours and monitor how the temperature changes.. Is it possible you can post some pics of your set up? And ideas on what I could improve/change would be great! Link to comment
melbournebudgies 0 Posted March 3, 2009 Member ID: 4,233 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 329 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 4,498 Content Per Day: 0.77 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 28,540 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/04/08 Status: Offline Last Seen: July 2, 2010 Birthday: 17/12/1982 Share Posted March 3, 2009 My set up would probably be more/just as expensive as installing a thermo on yours so it's probably not much help to you anyway :rofl: Link to comment
Angelic Vampyre 0 Posted March 3, 2009 Member ID: 3,545 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 207 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 2,028 Content Per Day: 0.33 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 13,140 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/07/07 Status: Offline Last Seen: July 26, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2009 http://www.birdmadjohn.com/Broodersforsale.html This is a great brooder and I know lots of people who have copied the idea Link to comment
Jen144 0 Posted March 4, 2009 Member ID: 4,580 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 136 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 707 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 4,920 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/08/08 Status: Offline Last Seen: April 30, 2015 Birthday: 14/04/1995 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 Okay thank you all. I've checked and the brooder temp went from 31 degrees Celsius during the night and got to 34 or so during the day. That's alright isn't it? A bit hot for 2 week old chicks but I can cool it down a little. Any improvements I can do with it now, more? Link to comment
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