2010 HomeMade Brooder Contest - Win $20 BYC Store Gift Cert. Ends 5/9

[greyartist]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=47552
I'm not very good at making a page. But here is our first try at building a brooder.

 

[redturtle]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=53095

 

[Esteri]

Since mine isn't homemade I don't think I qualify - but for those you are interested in something quick...

We used our whelping box. Turns out all babies need basically the same thing. The whelping box is a Dura-Whelp. It is made of corrugated plastic (like plastic cardboard). Very light, folds flat into it's shipping box for storage, and super easy to clean and disinfect. They're very durable - ours has lasted for about 15 years. But then we don't have litters very often.

Here's a link to the box (shop around for the best price): http://www.xocom.com/fr/boxes.htm

We didn't use the pig / puppy rails. They'd make nice roosting ledges, but ours are wood (older style) and a pain to disinfect.

To cover, we just used a bit of poultry netting and clipped it to the edges.
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[cheshie]

Quote:
Too funny. I used the exact same container from Wal-Mart. My husband cut out the entire lid and we also used zip ties to fasten the wire to the lid. It has worked so well and is very easy to clean. We have the brooder light hanging securely over one end of the box.

 

[Chicken Little Farmer]

ohhh!!!

 

[cherylcohen]

an update, WOW they grow fast

http://picasaweb.google.com/Auntducks

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Here is my entry. My page is located at:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=47716

In January WalMart had the see through storage totes on clearence- $4 each. We bought two.

An aluminum pie pan (from Christmas), plastic light fixture ($2 at Lowes), used extension cord and a dimmer switch ($4 @ WalMart) and we have a nice brooder. With a hole saw we drilled a hole in each corner of the lid.

We drilled a small hole in the center for the wires and the small bolts for the fixture. We later added the dimmers switch, following the enclosed instructions for the switch. You can dim the 100 watt bulb to any temperature you want. We plan on adding a platform with hardware cloth to these later. Will add more photos soon.

Note: This photo was taken before we added the dimmer switch. To lower the heat we had to loosen and turn the top. Now we just dim the light.

 

[LadyinRed]

Here is my first brooder and my first attempt at a BYC page! It was made without much for planning on paper but turned out to be just perfect during our Tennessee winters at keeping a steady temperature.

It was really fun to build and we haven't lost a chick yet and it is holding 11 right now on one side and a broody hen on the other.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=41661

 

[norcal]

These are all great ideas. We need to put a bigger, I guess stage 2 or 3 brooder together soon.

 

[Renie'sPeeps]

Yesterday.. My hubby brought a wooden box home he recycled from the dumpster at work. I am sorry I didn't take pictures before and during soo I don't qualify for the contest.. but I thought I would share in any case. The only things we had to buy were wire and more staples. We had scrap lumber laying around for which my hubby cut down to make the floor frame, and pull out tray for easier cleaning. I used some old table legs that I had saved for perches. The only thing I will be changing in the future with this brooder is... a hole will be cut through the top..cover the opening with wire .. the light will rest there and a dimmer switch will be added to the light.
The crumpled up sheet laying across the top is to drape the front with at night to keep out drafts.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=49391