Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Tips for successful breeding and troubleshooting breeding problems.
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CandoAviary
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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by CandoAviary » Thu Mar 10, 2011 9:53 pm

I have not found the heating pads reliable. They fluctuate in heat and they always are above 100%. Many have an automatic timer that shuts them off also resulting in cold chicks if you are not there to turn is back on. :?
The wiper warmer I find is too warm also, do you guys crack it open to vent to keep it a certain safe temperature? Mine gets way too hot.

I have reared over 75 handfeeds of one kind or another with this simple way with equipement most already have on hand.
I simply keep them in a nest, inside a cage (protected in case you have dogs or cats) I place a lamp (with 34 to 40 watt bulb) facing the back of the nest and adjist the distance until I have the the temperture around 92 % to 98%. As the chicks grow and get feathered I move the lamp further away so the temperature gradually drops until they are acclimated to room temperature. If I need more humidity I simply place a damp wash cloth on the wire of the cage floor. This has worked great for me without ever cooking the chicks. I did have the 40 watt lightbulb burn out one night, but the chicks huddled together and stayed warm enough, plus keeping them in a nest box with plenty of cocofiber as insulation keeps them warmer. I place a paper towel over this fiber for easy clean ups.
I use a glass aquarium thermometer to monitor the temperature.
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I have also kept chicks in the oven with just the oven light on for heat. If you have a tight sealing oven this works great... of course no baking while brooding [-X
It keeps them at the perfect temperature, safe from other family pets, and if you need more humidity, just place a damp dish towel on the rack below the nest box.

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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by annague » Fri Mar 11, 2011 8:42 pm

Candace, I'm sure you are generally right. However, I haven't had a problem with my heating pad -- it maintains heat in the high 80's / low 90's and does NOT turn off. I have used it successfully for 3 years without a problem.

Maru, you can purchase a small hygrometer and thermometer (like for reptiles) and put it in your brooder to doublecheck the temperature and humidity and make sure it is staying within bounds. If it is a little hot, you can also just crack the lid and put a couple of washcloths under the small bowl or between the chicks and the heat source if you use the diaper wipe warmer. Really, it's not hard nor difficult and I don't think (within reason) that you have to worry overmuch about temperature -- just keep an eye on it and take logical steps if it fluctuates a bit. :)
Anna

Lots of Red Throat Parrot Finches, Forbes, Gouldians, BCCB's, RCCB's, Owls, Societies, and BB Fires. Plus, one wonderful 15 year old son, one wonderful husband and two rotten-to-the-core Border Terriers.

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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by maru » Fri Mar 11, 2011 9:11 pm

Thank you!
I have checked the nest and they haven´t laid more eggs.
If they do, I will begin getting ready for a possible hand feeding. I am a little nervous to try to do it, but I am also excited about it, it should be a wonderful experience!
Congratulations to all of you who do it often!
Maru.
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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by CandoAviary » Sat Mar 12, 2011 10:37 am

[quote="annague"]Candace, I'm sure you are generally right. However, I haven't had a problem with my heating pad -- it maintains heat in the high 80's / low 90's and does NOT turn off. I have used it successfully for 3 years without a problem.
quote]

Right??? No right or wrong in finch husbandry....just differences :wink: I tried several heating pads over the years but had no luck being able to keep them below 100 even on the lowest settings. I am sure if I could find one that did stay cooler and didn't have one of those darn auto shut offs then I would use that over the light bulb..... What brand do you have? Maybe I will give it a try.
I have housed young birds with one of those stick on reptile heaters on the bottom of a glass aquarium. Also have used the electric rock reptile heaters in the aquariums and small aviaries. The bird could move towards the heat or away from it as needed without the interferance of the light 24/7.

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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by annague » Sat Mar 12, 2011 9:35 pm

You are SO creative, Candace! I'll have to look at the heating pad. Right now I am keeping a pair of RCCB babies and one Star baby warm so it will be just a little bit before I can look, though! I just bought a cheap one at Walgreens and read how to make sure it doesn't turn off. It has 3 settings only (not 4 or more like some of the fancy ones)... :)
Anna

Lots of Red Throat Parrot Finches, Forbes, Gouldians, BCCB's, RCCB's, Owls, Societies, and BB Fires. Plus, one wonderful 15 year old son, one wonderful husband and two rotten-to-the-core Border Terriers.

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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by ac12 » Mon Apr 11, 2011 3:55 pm

Target has a "Munchkin" babywipe warmer, BUT the heating element is on the cover, not on the bottom.
The top down heat would duplicate the parent in the nest, but I see no way to reduce the heat if it is too hot except to leave the top open more. Any thoughts on this warmer?
Gary

gouldians (GB,YB,BB), blackbelly firefinches (trying to breed), societies (foster parents).
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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by annague » Mon Apr 11, 2011 5:42 pm

Not familiar with that warmer, sorry! You might be able to go to their website and find out what temperature it reaches...
Anna

Lots of Red Throat Parrot Finches, Forbes, Gouldians, BCCB's, RCCB's, Owls, Societies, and BB Fires. Plus, one wonderful 15 year old son, one wonderful husband and two rotten-to-the-core Border Terriers.

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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by ac12 » Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:15 pm

I think I figured out how to use the Munchkin warmer. What I will do is to get an inline lamp dimmer from Home Depot. That will allow me to control the voltage to the heater, and thus the temperature. I do that right now for my heated foot mat under my desk.
Gary

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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by annague » Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:28 pm

Hotdog!! That's a great idea! You're a genius!

(I wish I had the mechanical aptitude to do something like that...)
Anna

Lots of Red Throat Parrot Finches, Forbes, Gouldians, BCCB's, RCCB's, Owls, Societies, and BB Fires. Plus, one wonderful 15 year old son, one wonderful husband and two rotten-to-the-core Border Terriers.

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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by ac12 » Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:39 pm

Putting the dimmer onto the warmer "should be" very easy.

1 - Plug the light dimmer into the wall.
2 - Plug the warmer into the dimmer.

Done.

No complicated wiring.
That is how the heated foot pad under my desk is setup.
Gary

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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by L in Ontario » Wed Apr 13, 2011 11:57 am

ac12 wrote:Putting the dimmer onto the warmer "should be" very easy.

1 - Plug the light dimmer into the wall.
2 - Plug the warmer into the dimmer.

Done.

No complicated wiring.
That is how the heated foot pad under my desk is setup.
Now you know we need pics, Gary. #-o =D>
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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by Sally » Wed Apr 13, 2011 5:10 pm

I'm going to have to try that with my Prince Lionheart warmer. I layer more or fewer paper towels in the bottom and crack open the top to regulate the heat. Your method is so much simpler, Gary! I really like using the baby warmer--not only is it inexpensive ($20), it is easy to keep clean, and it is easy to carry around with me when I have to take babies along. I have one of those power converters that plug into the cigarette lighter place in my truck, and I plug the warmer directly into that. The one thing I have found when taking the babies with me is to watch out for sun coming in the passenger side of the truck. The warmer can get too warm in the sun.
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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by annague » Wed Apr 13, 2011 6:40 pm

Super creative and smart! I'm definitely going to try that! :)
Anna

Lots of Red Throat Parrot Finches, Forbes, Gouldians, BCCB's, RCCB's, Owls, Societies, and BB Fires. Plus, one wonderful 15 year old son, one wonderful husband and two rotten-to-the-core Border Terriers.

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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by nofred » Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:30 pm

I have been using the Lionheart wipe warmer for almost 3 wekks now. I agree.
It is inexpensive and fairly simple, but it would be better with an adjustable thermostat
of some kind. I think I am going to "re-invent the wheel".
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Re: Inexpensive Brooder You Can Make

Post by ac12 » Tue May 31, 2011 2:13 pm

I picked up the Munchkin warmer (from Target). The heater element is in the cover, so towels on the bottom won't do anything to control the temp. On the other hand, top heat is like the birds sitting on the chick.
I got an inline dimmer (from Home Depot) and plugged the power supply for the heater into it. The dimmer control is the white box w the slide at the bottom of the pix.
Then I ran an aquarium remote thermometer (from PetSmart) into the warmer. The probe is hanging from the cover in the pix below, and the temp display is the black object just below the warmer in the pix. This way I can monitor the inside temp w/o opening the warmer.
This setup works OK, and I can control the temp. The temp control depends on ME to read the thermometer and adjust the dimmer up or down to keep the temp at the desired temp. Needless to say, this is not precise, but better than nothing.

Now on to hand feeding the tossling in the brooder. :(
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Gary

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