I decided that I needed an outside brooder for all the chicks I have planned to hatch this season and for the 20 I have already hatched. I wanted to keep the cost low and use materials I already had on hand. There were a few things I still needed to buy to make this project complete and I was able to pick up the things I needed for $46.00. I have had this metal bunk bed for my boys when they were little and then my granddaughters used it up until last year.
It was still in good shape and I had an image of what I wanted it to look like when it was done. So I gathered the material I had and went to Lowes and got the rest of the things I needed and started working.
I worked on it for 3 days with a lot of interruptions that is for sure, between doing my chores and grandchildren's award ceremonies at school, it was a challenge because I needed it done ASAP. I had 20 chicks, a duck and a guinea inside my baby brooder in the house and they needed to move because my incubator 1 was going into lockdown June 5 and I needed a place for hatching babies.
I live in SC so the temps here right now are between the 80's and 90's and night temps are in the 70's. I wanted to be on the safe side and run the heat lamp at night. My chicks are 3 weeks old that I planned on putting in there right now. All in all, I think it came out pretty good and it is going to serve my purpose. When I finished it this morning and put the chicks in they seemed content and that's what mattered to me. This is my bunk bed brooder with a storage area on the top bunk
I think I will change the roof by turning the board across it and adding another 4 x 8 beside it, tar paper it and shingle it.
The heat lamp can be lowered and slide into any area of the roosting box. I was very happy with the outcome and now to I am getting ready for the next hatch.
It was still in good shape and I had an image of what I wanted it to look like when it was done. So I gathered the material I had and went to Lowes and got the rest of the things I needed and started working.
I worked on it for 3 days with a lot of interruptions that is for sure, between doing my chores and grandchildren's award ceremonies at school, it was a challenge because I needed it done ASAP. I had 20 chicks, a duck and a guinea inside my baby brooder in the house and they needed to move because my incubator 1 was going into lockdown June 5 and I needed a place for hatching babies.
I live in SC so the temps here right now are between the 80's and 90's and night temps are in the 70's. I wanted to be on the safe side and run the heat lamp at night. My chicks are 3 weeks old that I planned on putting in there right now. All in all, I think it came out pretty good and it is going to serve my purpose. When I finished it this morning and put the chicks in they seemed content and that's what mattered to me. This is my bunk bed brooder with a storage area on the top bunk
I think I will change the roof by turning the board across it and adding another 4 x 8 beside it, tar paper it and shingle it.
The heat lamp can be lowered and slide into any area of the roosting box. I was very happy with the outcome and now to I am getting ready for the next hatch.
