ALABAMA!!

[ceeceeholt]

I don't have pics, I'll take some tomorrow when its light out. Made out of 1/4" plywood, its 80" long, 32" wide and 24" deep. Easily holds all the layers. The meat birds are in a smaller one, but will move this weekend as they are getting very big. I hope to keep the layers in the big brooder until the meaties are processed, not sure they'll last but we'll see.
I think the turkey feed is different, but I'm not sure. I'll let you know how are meaties work out. We love or leghorns, loud, but fun and calm birds. I'll post some pics tomorrow for you. We are in North Alabama and its still pretty cold at night. Will take out the 250 bulbs this weekend and do 125's and hopefully Spring is coming.

 

[chickadoodles]

Thank you so much! Right now I am using a rabbit cage that we got at tsc when we got the chicks... lol I could not resist the cute little chicks to wait to build the coop and brooder. So I thought we could make due... We are in south west Al. And it has been cold here as well.
I won't mind loud as I am putting the in the middle of the side pasture away from the house. But I will still be able to see them and go play with them!

 

[ceeceeholt]

Found pictures of the small brooder and our run, I'll get pics of the big brooder tomorrow.


These were taken in 2011 so the chicks in the brooder are all grown and laying eggs the little brooder holds about 12 up to 4 weeks, unless they're the meaties, then no w way will they last that long

 

[chickadoodles]

I love your set up! And the brooder is very nice! Thanks for sharing the pics with me. I will show my husband and let him get some ideas for building us one!
This is ours for the moment! lol

 

[Tomtommom]

From what I learned, basic chicken needs per chicken are 4 sqft of coop space and 10 sqft of run space, 1 foot of roost space. You need 1 nest box per 3-4 chickens. That's for your average size chicken, really big ones may need some more, bantams can do with less.

Hope that helps!

 

[Alabama ee]

Just a suggestion... I used to think each chicken needed a nest box. We now have 15 chickens, they use one nest box, and sometimes a 2nd nest box. As silly as it sounds, they will usually wait to use the same one. Or, sometimes, 2 birds will sit in that one. I think with 20 chickens, more than just a few next boxes, say 3, will be more than you will need. I have had several coops, and different chickens through the years. It is funny how they pick a box to lay their eggs that way.


Quote:

Hi,
Thanks for the info on your run. We are also going to have to cover our run for the same reason. I am thinking of doing two rows of nesting boxes on each side so that I can get at least 20 nesting boxes in my coop. I only have a small brooder since I am just starting out. I will have to build another of some kind. Next month I am getting a few more chickens and a couple turkeys and a few guineas. I hope they all get along! lol
Do you by chance have any pics of your brooder online? I would love to see it. I need some ideas for building one. I don't think I will go over the 20 chickens I am building the coop for though.
Later on I might raise some meat birds and a few leghorns.
Thank you!

 

[ihavechickens2]

welp, chicks hatched today. have 15 in the brooder, and 4 still in the incubator. ill post pics tomorrow.

 

[chickadoodles]

I appreciate all the help I can get! Thank you so much! I just told my husband and he is so glad that he won't have to make all those nesting boxes!!!

 

[GK Farms]

Got our first eggs from our BCM.

Two eggs in two days. Somewhat on the small side and not as dark as we would like, but she is young and maybe she can work on that. I guess that talk I had with her about the chicken and dumplings worked. Anyway, the wife and kids sure were excited, dont take much to excite us looks like.

 

[ceeceeholt]

So true, I have 10 in each and they lay in about 4 of them. Always a fav box and yes they wait to lay in their fav box, usually mine do not wait quietly