Using a fish tank for brooding?

[Snadger]

The hamster used to live in a fish tank(and NO he didn't have scuba gear on Lol).
Looking for something to brood my chooks in when and IF they hatch, I came across it in the garage.

The fish tank is about 2 foot X 1 foot X 1 foot. I've given it a good clean out and intend using kitchen roll in the bottom to stop them slipping and aid cleaning out. Apparently new born chicks are prone to pecking at anything so sawdust wouldn't be a good idea?

The fish tank has a cover and a strip light in it which is 15W and about 18 inches long. It doesn't appear to give out much heat though.
Would I be able to get a mini strip light that gave out heat or do you think I'll need to rig up a desktop lamp with a 60W bulb poking through the top?

Whadya think?

[Flummery]

I think you can get some sort of non-slip (washable!) matting for the bottom of brooding boxes Snadger. Can't remember the name - Probably saw it on the other forum
It stops them getting spraddled legs and needing splinting, which would be a shame.
The fish tank sounds ideal. We had gerbils in ours when The Lad was little!

[MaureenHall]

sounds good to me Snadger. Let me know what sort of anti-slip thingy you'll be using cos I might need some too

[lynda66]

sure a fish tank will be fine, i used a plastic storage box with a bit cut out of the lid with some mesh over it, and a light bulb over the top ..... we used to breed mice in them,

i put shavings on the bottom, and straw in their bed and they loved their stuffed chicken to snuggle up to, they will peck whatever you use lol, but they tend to prefer food to shavings, after about a week i put them into the playpen, cos once they started running round, there really wasn't enough room, oh and they love mirrors when little too, and cat toys that rattle, and their little digger that Di's kids sent and stuffed elephants and ..... ok they needed extra room for all their toys lol.

straw also stops them pecking each others feet apparently, though i never noticed mine doing it anyway ..... maybe cos they had straw lol

they will eat the kitchen roll, and pull it up, so not a good base (mine love eating kitchen roll while i'm cleaning up poo piles round the house, even now.... though i think it's more nicking it and running round with me chasing them to stop the poo spreading is fun ........ who said chickens don't have a sense of humour??


they are much happier in the playpen cos theres plenty of stuff to explore

i think you can get heat strip lights, i just used a bulb with a clip on holder. after the proper red heat bulb i got exploded

[Snadger]

sure a fish tank will be fine, i used a plastic storage box with a bit cut out of the lid with some mesh over it, and a light bulb over the top ..... we used to breed mice in them,

i put shavings on the bottom, and straw in their bed and they loved their stuffed chicken to snuggle up to, they will peck whatever you use lol, but they tend to prefer food to shavings, after about a week i put them into the playpen, cos once they started running round, there really wasn't enough room, oh and they love mirrors when little too, and cat toys that rattle, and their little digger that Di's kids sent and stuffed elephants and ..... ok they needed extra room for all their toys lol.

straw also stops them pecking each others feet apparently, though i never noticed mine doing it anyway ..... maybe cos they had straw lol

they will eat the kitchen roll, and pull it up, so not a good base (mine love eating kitchen roll while i'm cleaning up poo piles round the house, even now.... though i think it's more nicking it and running round with me chasing them to stop the poo spreading is fun ........ who said chickens don't have a sense of humour??


they are much happier in the playpen cos theres plenty of stuff to explore

i think you can get heat strip lights, i just used a bulb with a clip on holder. after the proper red heat bulb i got exploded

So I need a stuffed chicken, cat toys that rattle, a little digger, a stuffed elephant, a mirror and chickens with a sense of humour?

I somehow new I'd get a sensible answer out of you Lynda!!!Lol

[lynda66]

So I need a stuffed chicken, cat toys that rattle, a little digger, a stuffed elephant, a mirror and chickens with a sense of humour?

I somehow new I'd get a sensible answer out of you Lynda!!!Lol

that's about the size of it yup ....... hey, they liked the digger, they took turns pushing each other off it ..... they really did like the stuffed chicken too, they draped themselves over it till they got too big to all fit, and they started fighting for a space.

[MaureenHall]

What do you think of this idea for keeping the babies warm? Cat dog bed pet puppy electric heat pad heater mat on eBay, also Beds, Dogs, Pet Supplies, Home Garden (end time 13-Feb-09 20:00:00 GMT)

[CoraxAurata]

sounds good to me Snadger. Let me know what sort of anti-slip thingy you'll be using cos I might need some too

I usually use an old tea towel in a cardboard box for the first 2-3 days you might need something specially grippy on glass (old rubberised type bar runners or mouse mats?) and I don't use sawdust until at least 10 days, - i don't think you'll get a tube light to put out enough warmth but then I've never tried that - love the fish tank idea - they'll get really used to seeing people moving around and seeing strange things....

[CoraxAurata]

What do you think of this idea for keeping the babies warm? Cat dog bed pet puppy electric heat pad heater mat on eBay, also Beds, Dogs, Pet Supplies, Home Garden (end time 13-Feb-09 20:00:00 GMT)

It might be hard to get it just right for them, that sort of thing doesn't tend to warm the air/area around it so the chicks would only really get warmth when snuggled up on it - which means if its a little too warm for comfort they have to choose between too warm and too cold with no happy medium in between.... With the lamp if you get it the right height they can move closer to directly under it or further away in increments to suit the warmth they need - (I tend to put the lamp towards one end of the box so they can move further away if its too warm)..

[Suechooks]

What do you think of this idea for keeping the babies warm? Cat dog bed pet puppy electric heat pad heater mat on eBay, also Beds, Dogs, Pet Supplies, Home Garden (end time 13-Feb-09 20:00:00 GMT)

I have one of these from my dog breeding and I used it recently for a poorly chook who was sleeping on her own. It did offer her some warmth (I put a piece of Vet-bed over it) and she did sleep on it a couple of nights. They don't give much heat so might not be warm enough for chicks (I have no idea how warm chicks need to be)

[MaureenHall]

Thanks for you replies on that, it'll save me some money anyway

[RedThorn]

Try pound land for the anti slip mat... (looks almost like woven foam rubber)

[Hilary B]

I like the 'old mouse mat' idea (if it is very smooth on one side, put that side down). In a tank that size you may need a few...... If you can find some old rubber-backed carpet, upside down, or the separate rubber underlay (there are always 'trimmings' when someone has a carpet fitted, ask your nearest carpet fitter about oddments). If you have 2 bits, cut to size, you can wash one each day......

It is possible that a tank, being less draughty than the average cardboard box, the strip light MIGHT be adequate, but I wouldn't risk it.

[Snadger]

I like the 'old mouse mat' idea (if it is very smooth on one side, put that side down). In a tank that size you may need a few...... If you can find some old rubber-backed carpet, upside down, or the separate rubber underlay (there are always 'trimmings' when someone has a carpet fitted, ask your nearest carpet fitter about oddments). If you have 2 bits, cut to size, you can wash one each day......

It is possible that a tank, being less draughty than the average cardboard box, the strip light MIGHT be adequate, but I wouldn't risk it.

Apparently I've got to aim for about 90 deg F? I'll try a thermometer in bottom of tank overnight with light lit and see what temp it is!

[Snadger]

I think you can get some sort of non-slip (washable!) matting for the bottom of brooding boxes Snadger. Can't remember the name - Probably saw it on the other forum
It stops them getting spraddled legs and needing splinting, which would be a shame.
The fish tank sounds ideal. We had gerbils in ours when The Lad was little!

Like this do you think?NEW NON SLIP ANTI SLIDE MATTING SHEETING GREY 47X63CM on eBay, also Modern, Rugs, Rugs Carpets, Home Garden (end time 19-Feb-09 10:53:29 GMT)