Our old brooder coop dilapidated on us last winter so we decided to build a new better one that would last 10 or 20 years. It's a miniature 4x8 pole barn that's off the ground. Here is a link to the video
Will have a ramp and a 6 foot tall run that's 6 x 8 and another 5 feet across under the building plus another foot or so to the fence. So the run will be a total of 13 feet long and 6-8 wide. The run will be on the north side of the building where there is lots of shade throughout the day.
Should do 30-40 broiler chicks up to 4 weeks old. Will also use this coop for starting other kinds of chicks. Plan to finish the run in the next few days, will take more pictures then.
Designed to clean up easy with bathroom board walls covering 7/16 inch osb board, epoxy painted concrete floor, poop door under roost area and good ventilation to keep it dry inside.
The building has 1.5 inches of foam insulation between the purlins and another 3.5 of fiberglass in the walls, floor and ceiling. The floor is covered underneath by 1/2 inch plywood (not chip board or osb).
A 4 inch inline fan that moves 170 cfm attached to an all metal dryer vent with an identical dryer vent for an intake mounted to the inside wall going out to a vented soffit. This helps prevent back draft while allowing good air flow through one direction coming out through the outside mounted vent.
This coop has an auto drinker system that can be raised as the chicks get taller and lowered again when we start a new batch. It also has a thermostatically controlled brooder lamp that was purchased through Farm-tek along with the auto drinker system. We had to slightly modify the drinker system by cutting the length in half. Each drinker can drink up to 12 birds so there is more than enough water for the chicks. It works great and the chicks took right to it after we made them each take a little drink. The chicks water is now forever clean and we don't have to deal with changing and filling it anymore. Our broiler chicks never looked so happy!
The brooder lamp holds 4 bulbs up to 250 watts each. When a certain temp is reached 2 of the bulbs turn off. It seems to work perfect for this coop.
Just got the chicks in the coop yesterday, they were 16 days old. The project took a little longer than we anticipated. The birds are eating nearly 5 lbs of food every 24 hours so we have to fill the feeder once a day. I have been visiting the chicks often to make sure everything is ok and so far they look great. Started with 31 but had to keep them in a large box that they had outgrown about the time we got them in their new coop. Lost 3 so far. We got them from Townline Hatchery. They sent an extra chick and all seemed fine on arrival. I think if we would have had this new coop ready when we got them we may have an extra bird or 2 than we do now.
I know some people will say we spent too much time and money on this thing but it's going to last a long time and bring us lots of great food and pleasure. It was fun to build too, can't wait to do the next project. We are going to build a much bigger coop soon.
Will have a ramp and a 6 foot tall run that's 6 x 8 and another 5 feet across under the building plus another foot or so to the fence. So the run will be a total of 13 feet long and 6-8 wide. The run will be on the north side of the building where there is lots of shade throughout the day.
Should do 30-40 broiler chicks up to 4 weeks old. Will also use this coop for starting other kinds of chicks. Plan to finish the run in the next few days, will take more pictures then.
Designed to clean up easy with bathroom board walls covering 7/16 inch osb board, epoxy painted concrete floor, poop door under roost area and good ventilation to keep it dry inside.
The building has 1.5 inches of foam insulation between the purlins and another 3.5 of fiberglass in the walls, floor and ceiling. The floor is covered underneath by 1/2 inch plywood (not chip board or osb).
A 4 inch inline fan that moves 170 cfm attached to an all metal dryer vent with an identical dryer vent for an intake mounted to the inside wall going out to a vented soffit. This helps prevent back draft while allowing good air flow through one direction coming out through the outside mounted vent.
This coop has an auto drinker system that can be raised as the chicks get taller and lowered again when we start a new batch. It also has a thermostatically controlled brooder lamp that was purchased through Farm-tek along with the auto drinker system. We had to slightly modify the drinker system by cutting the length in half. Each drinker can drink up to 12 birds so there is more than enough water for the chicks. It works great and the chicks took right to it after we made them each take a little drink. The chicks water is now forever clean and we don't have to deal with changing and filling it anymore. Our broiler chicks never looked so happy!
The brooder lamp holds 4 bulbs up to 250 watts each. When a certain temp is reached 2 of the bulbs turn off. It seems to work perfect for this coop.
Just got the chicks in the coop yesterday, they were 16 days old. The project took a little longer than we anticipated. The birds are eating nearly 5 lbs of food every 24 hours so we have to fill the feeder once a day. I have been visiting the chicks often to make sure everything is ok and so far they look great. Started with 31 but had to keep them in a large box that they had outgrown about the time we got them in their new coop. Lost 3 so far. We got them from Townline Hatchery. They sent an extra chick and all seemed fine on arrival. I think if we would have had this new coop ready when we got them we may have an extra bird or 2 than we do now.
I know some people will say we spent too much time and money on this thing but it's going to last a long time and bring us lots of great food and pleasure. It was fun to build too, can't wait to do the next project. We are going to build a much bigger coop soon.
