Will my brooder work and what can I do to make it better

[horseshoenail]

This brooder is made from a crate 2.5 ft wide 3.5 ft long 18 in tall the hole I cut in the top is 18 in wide by 24 in long with hard wire i. I cut slats out of one x fours that are removable to help control temp the holes I have drilled around the top outside is to let heat out as the temp out gets hotter. WILL IT WORK? any ideas to better it?

 

[RitzHomestead]

This brooder is made from a crate 2.5 ft wide 3.5 ft long 18 in tall the hole I cut in the top is 18 in wide by 24 in long with hard wire i. I cut slats out of one x fours that are removable to help control temp the holes I have drilled around the top outside is to let heat out as the temp out gets hotter. WILL IT WORK? any ideas to better it?

Looks good, how many chicks will you have in it?

 

[horseshoenail]

I was thinking 15 or 20 as I have a good size pin

 

[RitzHomestead]

How long will you have them in there? My brooder is 3'x4' and I have 10 chicks was plenty of room but it started getting cramped at about 4 weeks old.

 

[azygous]

Have you tested it with heat and a thermometer yet to see if you can keep it from getting hotter than 100 degrees and cooking the chicks?

It appears to be a functional brooder if you can keep the temperature from getting out of control. But I favor brooders with a side access door and windows to let in natural light. Side access keeps chicks from being fearful of hands being thrust down at them from above, simulating a hawk attack from their standpoint.

Something that could help prevent dangerous heat buildup would be to employ the heating pad/chick cave method of heating chicks. You shape a piece of wire field fencing into a cave shape and, for 20 chicks, drape a large-size heating pad over it with a towel over that to keep poop off the heating pad. It keeps the chicks at an optimum temp without the dangers of a heat lamp.

 

[horseshoenail]

I did test it when it was around 40 out side it was around 78 at the farthest point 100 at center but it will be hot in no time here and i will have to re figure I will put a side door good idea and probaly have plexy glass around somewhere to let outside light in I would like to see the heating pad idea as it gets 100 plus and nights never below 80 . the lamp I guess when that happens I will have to hang farther away.

 

[horseshoenail]

I think 4 weeks will be plenty it will be plenty warm by then