Off Grid Living: Creating A Electricity Free Chick Brooder

[@christiancowboy352]

QUESTION: How often do you have to replace the water with hot water again? I'm just wondering how practical it is, if you're replacing them every 30 minutes. It doesn't leave you anytime to sleep it would seem to me. How's that working out?

[@cheyennehummingbird676]

When I saw the folgers coffee container, I laughed...I just filled about 10 of them with kitchen compost to put in my garden for worm castings...must be100 uses for them on the homestead.

[@cherylgawne711]

Awesome Tks for sharing!! You have same Magnum system I have! I had to move to hot water bottle raising too as the light or heating pad both took too much power

[@gopackgo2235]

I see that a couple of the chicks are up at the thermometer checking the temperature themselves. You better watch those ones, they are smarter than the rest and may cause future problems, possibly even a coups.

[@StarryHilder]

dana lee We had one jump out of the tub already and go for my shoe in the corner! A DEFECTOR! Im gonna paint a black dot on him for future problems. Because of him we had to lay chicken wire on top!! haha

[@gopackgo2235]

Starry Hilder LOL! A defector.

[@jonb4763]

+dana lee That's awesome, a "coup". LOL

[@gopackgo2235]

Jon B finally someone got it! ;) other than Starry.

[@jaimevega4370]

Thank God I found this channel. Great advice and from a fellow believer. Thanks for sharing your experiences. You are probably adding years to your life.

[@StarryHilder]

jaime vega Wow what a wonderful comment! It is truly amazing how God is working in peoples lives and how they are indeed finding the channel ...I think God really wants us believers to fellowship, support each other in a edifying loving way..and of course..plant those seeds! I try my best to enrich people with Gods word in all my videos plus..while trying to teach! Praise Jesus that you found us!!

[@Jason4Star]

This is a good idea. In my climate I just hatch my chicks in July when there is a constant source of 90+ degree heat. (South Carolina) When the chicks are 2 months old in September the cooler air comes in (80's - lol) but they are old enough to not need the heat. BUT! If I ever have to move up north, I will remember this!

[@MC-xg9fv]

Heat some stones and throw them in the hot water to keep it warm longer.

[@massachusettsprepper]

Nice little tips and tricks for sure, and they sure seem to like the hot water bottle is a nuzzled right up in there on top of that LOL. Thanks for sharing.

[@StarryHilder]

Massachusetts Prepper They did great last night. Husband was up checking on them and they all fell asleep around the bottle. My husband thought they were all died, when they sleep they look like yellow road kill!! Its funny!

[@massachusettsprepper]

Starry Hilder yellow road kill LOL that funny.

[@annateis650]

We used a gallon, glass, pickle jar with boiling water. We covered the jar by using the cut off legs of old blue jeans. We also covered the jar with an old towel. The larger jar kept the pen warm for 8 hours.

[@StarryHilder]

Anna Teis smart idea!! So many good ones! I wish I could have had all these great ideas when i was looking on you tube before:( You guys rock!!

[@tennesseeriverhomestead1242]

I made a 2 foot by 2 foot really well insulated box for them to huddle in at night. I put a hpmemade candle under an upside down clay flower pot with bricks around the inside of the box to absorb heat by the time the candle burned out the bricks would have enough heat to keep the chicks from freezing the rest of the night. the next year I replaced the candle with a small pilot light They would hover around the clay pot when they got cool. The pilot lite burned very little gas and heated the whole brooder.

[@wilddesertladiesvanlife4399]

I like your idea with the water we live totally Off the Grid are baby chicks are 5 weeks old now going on 6 they've been in the trailer with us we'll use the Buddy Heater and will use granite slabs Against the brooder box keeping it between 85 and 95 degrees to the hard cold winter here on our desert in Homestead the high desert of Oregon

[@crystalstorms880]

how often do you change the water (hot) out? Thanks!

[@denisemartinez6456]

well that's brilliant! if mama hen isn't going to sit on the rest of the eggs in going to get creative. it's been more then 21 days, so I think something like this will work. blessings starry and Mr H. prayers going for both of you.

[@stevenk1965]

Great idea, they seem to like it.

[@StarryHilder]

stevenk1965 They are in chick heaven!!

[@Ninakae1]

Excellent way to keep chicks warm, just to throw out there I use a pet microwaveable heating disk pad for my new chicks. It works great also🐥🌻

[@Ninakae1]

I know the Hilders are all the way off grid,this with microwaveable pad is for folks that don't want to use heating lamp and concerned about fire. I do love their idea tho!

[@janeheichel2014]

LG family there very creative with the warm water bottle

[@Jamaicalink]

Great idea got an idea for myself I do the same chicken videos

[@TheRyan4756]

Just had an an idea after watching this and Ben Falk's video...if a person was to coil up a filled water hose on the ground outside the coup on one end and the other end of the hose is inside next to the chicks, one could thermo heat the water filled hose by having a compost pile on top of the coiled hose outside. This removes the need for wood stoves or electrical lamps, with very very little maintenance. Ben Falk uses this system to heat up his green house and take winter showers!

[@StarryHilder]

Ryan Moore NICCEEEE!!! Thanks for another great idea..getting lots tonight and I love it!! Best thing about you tube is when people make the comments that are helpful and positive!! You rock! Thanks for taking the time to write this up!

[@PG-oc6dd]

Good idea! Another idea for using less electricity is a "cave shaped" heating pad, use a bit of smooth wire fencing to create the cave shape then fasten the pad on top of it. When the chicks get cold they huddle underneath it as if it was a mother hen. I would think that would use a lot less juice than a light bulb especially with insulating cloth on top of the pad.

[@StarryHilder]

Protection Group Sounds a little better..a heating pad has about 65 watts. You'd have to check the specific brands. But nice alternative!!.

[@johngodwin7902]

great video. I wish I lived neat Mr. Helder. I could learn a lot from that guy!

[@bihbgm5858]

Hello Starry, I love your channel. Thank you for sharing all the great information about your life and what you have been through. You and your husband complement each other well. Just a bit of info. Insulated bath tubs are sold for thousands to keep the water from getting cold when you bath. You can insulate a tub yourself by adding Styrofoam and using the spray on foam insulation to keep the heat in longer. Keep up the good work!

[@StarryHilder]

bihbgm NICE idea..Iove it.Thanks for sharing the tip!!!

[@leanathon]

Hi Starry, Ive raised chickens for several years, have had very good luck. I don't know if its your area, but I've never used medicated feed, I do however give them electrolytes that you put in there water for a few days. Just a thought if that is possible for your area. What a great idea on the hot water in the coffee can. How long do you have to keep the hot water by them?

[@thatScoutdog]

"Meat layers"😂

[@jawad_youtube]

🤣🤣

[@mikejones7708]

While growing up we had an out door brooder the front was wire the back was wood with metal top and metal bottom. we kept about 2 inches of sand in the back part. Under the metal we kept an oil burning lamp we would adjust the flame according to the temp that night. We allways had good luck with it. The back part under the sad was boxed in and that is where the lamp would go. We live in south Alabama I'm not sure if you would need more than 1 lamp up north.

[@7neapoli]

Found you yesterday. I loooove your videos. Thank you for all the nice ideas.

[@StarryHilder]

+Ιφιγενεια Διας Well Im glad you found us! Lots of catching up to do!!! Have fun and enjoy!!

[@wholelover]

Check the poop holes for blockage too. Nice tips:

[@KirkA0906]

Good idea, but time consuming. Just put one end of your little cage closer to the stove so the radiant heat goes directly to the cage. If they get warm they can move to the cooler end.

[@briannajohnson4984]

Those chicks are so beautiful🐥

[@StarryHilder]

+Brianna Johnson I know i LOVE them!!!

[@ThunderMountainTactical]

Awesome! They are just chicken nuggets now LOL!

[@StarryHilder]

ThunderMountain Tactical One day a whole fillet!!:)

[@CentralOregonSurvival]

Very cool, great idea... Couldn't you also run some copper piping around the wood stuff pipe, and bring it over and around an area in the tube, then use a 12 volt mini pump on a thermostat switch to circulate the water? Interesting and great idea...

[@ezek83]

Tip from vet : add some sugar (glucose) and lemon juice from fruit (minerals and vitamins) to water - a very efficient kickstarter. The acidity from lemon helps with the digestion process too.

[@StarryHilder]

83ezek83 Wow thank you for the awesome tip!! Will do ! God Bless

[@JoshuaSmithHomesteader]

Dang I love those folgers cans. I have them all thru the pantry and out to the garage holding bolts and chicken feed. Best containers ever. Great Idea on the hot water. If I could suggest a more closed in box all around to hold the heat in, with just a little opening at each end to fit a chick. Also in my experience with meat chicks is they get smelly and dusty fast so I hope you can hold up with them inside. Such a great idea, to use free heat. Perhaps you could run a pipe line coil off the stove and have it circulate into box and back to stove to help save time and work. Cheers!!

[@StarryHilder]

Joshua Smith Good ideas! People just keep commenting and Im impressed how many really are thinking outside the box. My chicks are getting big and they love the folgers container and it has been lasting most of the night. WE love our folgers dont we!!!

[@samstevens7888]

What a great idea and so simple. I dont know why others havent made vids of this maybe they didnt think of it. I think u may get alot of views for this vid in the future.

[@StarryHilder]

Sam Stevens Thanks..we looked EVERYWHERE to find info or watch a video on how to do it with without a heat lamp. I was getting nervous since the birds were arriving and we still didnt know what kind of plan we would have. THEY make you think you need the heat lamp no matter what! I think part of it is the money making...if you had a heat source like water, rock, a heated kettle whatever...ITS not making them money. I hope that more people will see this and see how easy it is plus its free.

[@samstevens7888]

Starry Hilder Everyone thinks they have to spend money all the time. If they just took a minute to think and look around they would probably find what they want for free, Put most people want things now and dont want to waste there time. More fool them.

[@StarryHilder]

Well you are right about that. People want things now, and when it comes to a little work..thats usually out the door. We didnt get debt free from sitting around, nor did it happen by buying everything we saw. We have always looked for more frugal ways and more alternative ways to do things in order to save money. And that has allowed us to live a very free life enslaved to no one. In any sense we all make choices. And for those who want it now, they will have to live with more debt and more stress, and all the things that come attached with that. I could never live that way under the weight of debt. Im just blessed to be where I am at . Thanks for your comments!

[@Manchew]

you ought to add some rocks in the container for some thermal mass to hold the heat in the water longer. Good idea heating water though :)

[@idahodeerhunter]

very cool. just a fyi, those look like Cornish cross, check out red rangers, they too are meat chickens but they also make good free range chickens and egg layers

[@StarryHilder]

***** thanks, we are probably gonna get some egg layer soon to. For now we have many sources of eggs around here from free to 3 bucks. But those red rangers sound great!

[@jbshomestead7694]

we used hot water bottles covered in a towel, and used the stove for a heat as well

[@diplomacustoms8395]

great stuff

[@BittyBooBrown]

Great tip.

[@toastybeer]

great idea

[@StarryHilder]

toastybeer thank you....:) The chicks are happy!

[@barefootwildflowers3209]

I'm curious about how this worked out. What was the success rate?

[@FreshEggsDaily]

I love your video, but you really don't need the medicated feed. I've never fed it to my chicks and never lost a single one.

[@dsquires16]

Wonder if you could do a copper tubing coil around the stove pipe and a water pot in the tube. The natural siphon of heated water should circulate the water and keep a constant heat. Put a few bricks or rocks in the pot to be heat sinks and keep an even heat.

[@StarryHilder]

Dan Squires NICE idea!!!! Thanks fr sharing it with us! We had to do this quickly since the chicks were arriving fast....but next time around we will keep these great ideas handy!!!

[@shelmmii9425]

Omg this is perfect

[@jesskan9828]

I need ideas on water for my chickens in the winter. I have no water out by my coop so I need to lug the waterer inside to fill it up and CAREFULLY carry that heavy thing all the way back out to the coop. It is so hard especially when there is s bunch of snow on the ground.

[@justaddwater674]

Jessie Kanehl How many chickens do you have? I have used a feed pan for their water during the winter. Fill up a couple of juice bottles (preferably with lids) or whatever you have, take them out and fill it up. I now have a stainless steel bowl sitting in a wood frame/box (with no top or bottom), good for water as the ice usually slides right out.

[@lanaebarb346]

I am so grateful that you are Christians! I don't know, it is like you are family. Keep up the good work. Lana

[@sarahdaileymo]

Starry i keep finding the answers i need on your channel! :) How many times a day do you have to switch out your water bottles?

[@StarryHilder]

+Sarah Huckabee Depends on how messy they are..I always keep it very fresh when they are t his little!!

[@sarahdaileymo]

No :) I mean the hot water :) how long does it take to lose temperature?

[@StarryHilder]

+Sarah Huckabee oh i'm sorry! i think it was around 5hrs or so. we would the water container in a smaller box and put a towel on it for insulation. they would all go in and get around the container in the box and that seemed to retain the heat quite well. remember this was in a wood heated shop to. not outdoors in a unheated coop. it seemed though if we put fresh hot water in at 10pm they would be fine till 6am. watch and listen to them chirping, you will be able to tell very quickly if they are not comfortable!

[@sarahdaileymo]

Thank you! I've raised lots of chicks with electricity and have been scared to get back into it now that we're off grid. I am going to try this! This seems to me to be an awesome method!

[@homegrowngagreen691]

Starry is going to need our help, she has been in a bad accident. Details are here: www.gofundme.com/starryhilder A GoFundMe page was started on her behalf. Even $1 would go a long way to help her during this crisis in her and her family's life. I created an email address that I will share with Starry and her family, they will receive 100% of the proceeds by using this address. I have listed the address at the hospital where you can send cards or care packages on the GoFundMe page if you prefer send something through the mail, just so everything is in one central location. Starry has a daytime job as a nurse and needs our support to help with bills and running her homestead while she is recovering. As you all know she also contributes immensely to her homestead's upkeep and her contribution will be missed. If everyone donates only $1 it will go a long way to help her keep things running. If you can't donate but still want to help, here is a poster you can print and share: tinyurl.com/j988m54 Here is a link to an update video she posted yesterday: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoXMnWN5n5KsgcU Thank you for anything you can do to help.

[@curtiswoah6849]

God bless you and thank you for the video.

[@idiotwilson1474]

This should help, we can't find my lamp! While looking up vids I keep heating up a feather duster lol

[@kazvswild]

Great Idea!!

[@grannyandgrandadshomestead3711]

I just can not wait till we can get more baby chicks! I know our grandchildren can not hardly wait either We are working towards, moving and living on same property. We have wanted this ever since the first grandchild was born! It will happen soon, we are praying and we know that this is Gods will for us all. So I ask others to be praying with us, for Gods will, His timing and where He wants us to go. Blessing to all.

[@radicaljoe4574]

Thinking outside the box(no pun intended). Good on you two. I wonder if heated rocks in some fashion would work? By the way, I appreciate the inclusion of Scripture in your videos. Be safe.

[@StarryHilder]

radicaljoe YES we thought about the heated rock to...many good ideas to make your own radiant heat. THESE chicks love our heated water..but we were just talking about a source that might last longer. Its cool though just seeing how this really does work. Next week they go into a bigger area...so thats gonna be exciting! GLAD you liked the scripture to!! God Bless

[@EskimoInAlaska]

Thank you!!!!

[@annamann9597]

how long does the water stay hot?

[@StarryHilder]

+ANNA MANN All night..they huddle around it pressing their bodies up against it...its really quite fascinating!!

[@Willow_and_Sage]

I have looked through your chicken videos, what breeds are they?

[@MikeBrownOhio]

use turkey starter with medicated it is a whole lot better than the chicken starter...more nutrients and vitamins...that's what we use on our chicks...

[@StarryHilder]

Mike Brown Thanks Mike! Read a lot about the medicated starter and it seems most people who raise the chickens really say you need the medicated at least for while.Cocci can wipe out all the birds in one day so I knew I had to get some. What is the difference you think with the turkey starter verses the chicken??

[@MikeBrownOhio]

I'm being told by my ag dealer the turkey has more of the vitamins and nutritional value...the two chickens left from last may are about fifteen pounds each...we use it for about the first two or three months...then we start the regular feed...our chickens have a wonderful taste and are just beautiful in color...

[@StarryHilder]

Thank you for that information. Here's another. Our chicks are looking good they are about two weeks old. When should we move them out of the tube and into a little bigger area???

[@MikeBrownOhio]

We usually leave ours in for about four weeks but we also use ours for 4h the worst we have done is third...the judge took off for uncopertive bird...he didn't want to be held...

[@FreshEggsDaily]

+Starry Hilder I've never used medicated feed. You don't need it. I also wouldn't use turkey starter wtih chicks. It's formulated for turkeys. If you add some apple cider vinegar to their water, and give them fresh minced garlic, oregano and a bit of cinnamon, I think that fights coccidiosis just as well.

[@walterbodine5886]

Clever.

[@cnypilot]

Great.... Samantha wants chickens...

[@StarryHilder]

cnypilot That might be a nice present!!

[@fallen0ver]

its Ned Flanders

[@ZWATER1]

👍

[@ericnewton538]

Gonna be a long 18weeks doing all that day and night

[@DS-kn4bs]

The stove is what keep them worm lol!

[@DS-kn4bs]

Loved your husbands comment :)

[@mountaingirl8124]

Anyone have any ideas on how to actually HATCH eggs without electricity?

[@pedroaguirre5464]

Kelli Bates yes use brooded han she will hatch them and broode them, just confine her in a private corner.

[@LDragonfire]

Seems like a high chance of injuring the birds this way, I guess a 60w bulb attached inside the box wouldn't work? I bet a 40w would work as well. If you wish to do this without electricity heat rocks or bricks and put them under the box. It just seems like your cooking them alive right next to this thing. I do wish you and your birds well tho.

[@StarryHilder]

LDragonfire A regular white bulb is not recommended with chicks. I have read that it is hard on their eyes so that's why they do the red heat lamps. I also think a 40w will not give off enough heat..remember they need 95 degrees the first week...They love the radiant heat from the water and the nice thing about it is we can check the temp! They huddled around it last night and they looked so comfortable. They are such happy chicks. I LIKE your idea of the stone and rocks! We have rock and bricks on our other woodstove and YES these as well are great for radiant heat. So thank you for those suggestions!! God Bless!!

[@LDragonfire]

Starry Hilder The great thing about youtube is being able to show off a idea, and I honestly never thought of the water idea. My only concern was watching your husband try to hold onto the hot container but hey if it works its all good. Keep the videos coming, your channel is awesome.

[@norain31]

talk about making life complicated ?? how about putting a adult chciken with them ??

[@wilddesertladiesvanlife4399]

I like your idea with the water we live totally Off the Grid are baby chicks are 5 weeks old now going on 6 they've been in the trailer with us we'll use the Buddy Heater and will use granite slabs Against the brooder box keeping it between 85 and 95 degrees to the hard cold winter here on our desert in Homestead the high desert of Oregon