Anyone here made a brooder before and have a few brand / parts pointers?
I refuse to pay the prices commercial brooders cost.. I mean.. $600 for a brooder from brand names that carry only one clutch of birds O.o
Decent commercial brooders in excess of $1600 for larger solutions :/
I was thinking of using some good quality reptile thermostats with some good reptile non light emitting ceramic lamps and some simple fan setups etc and water pot areas...
Curious if anyone else has tackled the issue.
Thanks.
PS was thinking of importing from the US at a considerably reduced price... but then you get slapped with high shipping costs... let alone if there is something wrong with it... have to once again.. ship it across the world blah blah...
Make a brooder
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have a look at mine
http://www.indianringneck.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=5020
it's basic, but it works. temp is constant within 5 degrees, and the birds seem fine with that.
http://www.indianringneck.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=5020
it's basic, but it works. temp is constant within 5 degrees, and the birds seem fine with that.
Adam and Dude
Nice 
Thats a good design idea I didnt think of... with the seperate compartments for water and heat divided into a horizontal patern like that.
I am thinking of buying a small budget vivarium (about $250) from URS (ultimate reptile supplies) as it should be able to hold (using 15cm high dividers for multiple clutch areas so they dont all crowd together since I need it to hold 10-15 bubs at a time) enough bubs.
I am going to talk to a reptile shop tomorrow and ask about underfloor heating using heat cords (waterproof heh so no worries) so it can deliver the same heat all over the vivarium/brooder due to wanting several clutch areas.
If the cord idea cant heat the 60x60cm (ish) floorspace with a ceiling of about 25cm high from 26 degrees to 34 degrees (depending on what I set it to) I will go with a very similar idea to yours.
I can get over the idea of spending $350-$400 total for a nice large brooder for easily 4 large clutch areas that can also double as a large injury control area for adult birds in the off season... compared with a retail version for one clutch size at about $600 >.<
Thats a good design idea I didnt think of... with the seperate compartments for water and heat divided into a horizontal patern like that.
I am thinking of buying a small budget vivarium (about $250) from URS (ultimate reptile supplies) as it should be able to hold (using 15cm high dividers for multiple clutch areas so they dont all crowd together since I need it to hold 10-15 bubs at a time) enough bubs.
I am going to talk to a reptile shop tomorrow and ask about underfloor heating using heat cords (waterproof heh so no worries) so it can deliver the same heat all over the vivarium/brooder due to wanting several clutch areas.
If the cord idea cant heat the 60x60cm (ish) floorspace with a ceiling of about 25cm high from 26 degrees to 34 degrees (depending on what I set it to) I will go with a very similar idea to yours.
I can get over the idea of spending $350-$400 total for a nice large brooder for easily 4 large clutch areas that can also double as a large injury control area for adult birds in the off season... compared with a retail version for one clutch size at about $600 >.<
Some breeders perfer fish tanks, I use a rubbermaid storage tub.
All you need is the tub drill holes in sides and lid.
a heating pad that don't have an automatic shut off
themometer and a plasic butter bowl with holes in top lid for humidity
Put heating pad on bottom with a towel over that put or bedding over towel and I keep babies in a small shallow dish till old enough to hold head up.
Donna
All you need is the tub drill holes in sides and lid.
a heating pad that don't have an automatic shut off
themometer and a plasic butter bowl with holes in top lid for humidity
Put heating pad on bottom with a towel over that put or bedding over towel and I keep babies in a small shallow dish till old enough to hold head up.
Donna
In Loving Memory
of one special husband and one special bird.
I miss you both
of one special husband and one special bird.
I miss you both
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swanwillow
- Posts: 122
- Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 2:21 pm
- Location: Northern MN
Well I decided to go all out for my main brooder... and make a smaller brooder using above ideas for very young hatchlings.
I got something that can handle everything I hatch at the moment.. including another 3-4 clutch sizes (up to easily 30 bubs lol) which I only need enough for 4 clutchs atm... 16 birds.
It is a Vivarium (cast in polyethlene with a heat dome and sliding glass door front) 510 mm High, 770 mm Deep, 920 mm Wide, with a Uv lamp and specialist thermostat easily capable of regulating the temp. As well as a UVA/UVB light source for when the bubs are getting older to promote the bone growth and help with feathering etc anything to do with aiding the metabolism.. and heck.. means I can see the buggers
It can also double as an emergency shelter for any sick / hurt birds I may (worst comes to worst) have in the future... never hurts to be prepared... heck.. even just a sick pet needing quiet, safety and warmth.
Its huge :O And I can decrease / increase the temp in certain parts of the vivarium/brooder thanks to vents etc so I can have several age groups in the one brooder that still get the heat needs they desire.
At only $250 more than a commercial brooder ($600ish in cost) that can handle only 4-5 bubs... I am happy as can be heh. So $850 later... it hit the wallet... but in the grand scheme of things... it was dirt cheap and lasts a lifetime
EDIT: Picking it up tomorrow... will post some pics
I got something that can handle everything I hatch at the moment.. including another 3-4 clutch sizes (up to easily 30 bubs lol) which I only need enough for 4 clutchs atm... 16 birds.
It is a Vivarium (cast in polyethlene with a heat dome and sliding glass door front) 510 mm High, 770 mm Deep, 920 mm Wide, with a Uv lamp and specialist thermostat easily capable of regulating the temp. As well as a UVA/UVB light source for when the bubs are getting older to promote the bone growth and help with feathering etc anything to do with aiding the metabolism.. and heck.. means I can see the buggers
It can also double as an emergency shelter for any sick / hurt birds I may (worst comes to worst) have in the future... never hurts to be prepared... heck.. even just a sick pet needing quiet, safety and warmth.
Its huge :O And I can decrease / increase the temp in certain parts of the vivarium/brooder thanks to vents etc so I can have several age groups in the one brooder that still get the heat needs they desire.
At only $250 more than a commercial brooder ($600ish in cost) that can handle only 4-5 bubs... I am happy as can be heh. So $850 later... it hit the wallet... but in the grand scheme of things... it was dirt cheap and lasts a lifetime
EDIT: Picking it up tomorrow... will post some pics
I don't think light source is important enough to worry about when their very young. In the wild parents make their nest in old hollowed out trees the babies don't see the light of day until they begin to fledge. Keeping the brooder at the right temp and warm is more important for their metabolism and crop function.
Donna
Donna
In Loving Memory
of one special husband and one special bird.
I miss you both
of one special husband and one special bird.
I miss you both
It is more for their pre-fledge stage than anything else. And when I am playing about in the box it doesnt hurt to have that touch extra while I need the light.
It is also for when I get birds from less open avairies when young. My previous experiences with young birds from heavily sheltered avairies with a friend showed me that it does make a small but notable difference to their fledging period.
Normally I wouldnt be too worried about it... I would just take them outside when fledging.. but this year I have 10 bubs.. next I am expecting in excess of 16. We have a house right near a massive park that plays host to all manner of birds of prey... including incredibly arrogant.. and feisty crows >.<
Too hard to really focus on their light supply in real elements with that many bubs in a risky area (crows sit ontop of my avairies until they loose a few toes for example) for any period of time.. so I dont feel good about leaving them alone for time outside in a good cage.. and I dont have time to supervise them on regular basis in that environment.
I agree it is overkill to your average breeder... just suits my needs.
It is also for when I get birds from less open avairies when young. My previous experiences with young birds from heavily sheltered avairies with a friend showed me that it does make a small but notable difference to their fledging period.
Normally I wouldnt be too worried about it... I would just take them outside when fledging.. but this year I have 10 bubs.. next I am expecting in excess of 16. We have a house right near a massive park that plays host to all manner of birds of prey... including incredibly arrogant.. and feisty crows >.<
Too hard to really focus on their light supply in real elements with that many bubs in a risky area (crows sit ontop of my avairies until they loose a few toes for example) for any period of time.. so I dont feel good about leaving them alone for time outside in a good cage.. and I dont have time to supervise them on regular basis in that environment.
I agree it is overkill to your average breeder... just suits my needs.
.. They are aso cute, Love the accent by the way 
