# Beginner setup. These are pictures of what i have for starting chickens.



## Brian maxwell (Dec 3, 2019)

Starting chickens. Raising them and selling them. Looking for any and all tips that are helpful for a beginner. Looking to start right after winter.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Do NOT use that heat lamp. Way too powerful for the size of that brooder. Find some red 60/65 watt incandescent bulbs. With the height of the brooder that should be more than enough to keep peeps warm. Since it's outside you will probably need to latch that top down to keep predators out. Snakes can get into some very small places. 

Before I got through all the pics I saw that building in the back and I thought, ideal coop. I see you do intend to use it as one. Consider installing tarps that can be dropped down for hard driving winds. My birds in a similar open pen, during two hurricanes they stayed nice and dry after I dropped my tarps and secured them. 

What is that old looking electrical thing sitting on top of the brooder?


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

Wow, so many things to comment on lol

First, yes, what is that device on top of the brooder and please don't use it, it's doesn't look safe, you can tell that the connection has been fried, the wire is burned looking

If you choose to use that brooder, you'll need to scrub it within an inch of it's life with bleach or vinegar, same with every single one of those feed and water trays.

Chicks should be kept out of a draft, if you use that brooder you'll want to make sure it's indoors or find some way to keep it out of the draft, they get respiratory illnesses easily when they are young and die so quick you won't know what happened.

Nice looking boys you have in the background, Will they be helping take care of the chickens?

I think that heat lamp is hanging from roof rafters isn't it? I would replace the bulb if you are going to use it, clean up the dome really well (dust, dander etc are flammable) and make sure that it is far enough away from the chicks that they don't overheat, remember, don't keep the entire brooder hot, they need a cool end and a warm end so that if they get hot they have some way to cool off.
I think I mentioned in your other post about how warm to keep them at certain ages and how to tell if they are too hot? If not, just ask, I'll give you the information.

That half dome is a nice "tractor" (movable, portable daytime coop) but you won't be able to keep them in it day and night, it's not predator proof and it has no doors to keep heat in etc. you would also need to close in the open end so they don't get loose and become lunch for someone. I noticed that it also has a heat lamp, I couldn't see a way to raise or lower it if they get too hot or too cold. I also wouldn't want to raise it any higher than it is, it's too close to the ceiling.
Chickens are smart but are driven purely by want over need. It was sleeting here today and I had to physically pick mine up and put them in their covered run because they would rather get sleeted on than leave the wild bird feeder where the sparrows were throwing them some seeds.

That shed thing that has the lawnmower in it, that would be a nice coop but I, personally, would make some modifications. They'll lose their combs to frostbite in the winter, there are too many huge gaps in the walls. The tarps that Robin suggested is a good idea but I may be overprotective. I've had too many frostbitten combs in coops that have 4 solid walls and insulation. Frostbite hurts like a son of a gun.
Also, I can't really tell for sure from the pictures but it doesn't look like it would hold off a coyote or dog or anything.

That's just my 2 cents. I know that I'm overprotective and spoil the snot out of mine so maybe take my comments with a grain of salt. These are just things I noticed. I do whole heartedly agree with robin about not using that heat lamp though, unless you clean it up and make it a whole lot safer and keep in mind the overheating the chicks thing.


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