Advice on beginning breeding chickens, please!

[My Pretty Pekins]

A garden shed, cut holes in the top of the walls for vent and add roost bars. A least 50 sqft.

Thanks for the tips. I've noticed many plans on here I could try. Thanks!

 

[tdan]

I keep a 4x8 exterior brooder adjacent to my coop. There's a hardware cloth divider so I can allow the floockmates to socialize well before the littles come outside. I would build the shed with a brooder on one side and laying box on the other.

Even in small scale, brooding chicks is a task that is far better when over prepared. Nothing more demoralizing than killing babies because you weren't prepared. I am not a fan of brooding inside bcause my climate allows for a good brooder plate or heat lamp to work in an insulated brooding setup.

Thanks for the tips. I've noticed many plans on here I could try. Thanks!

 

[Ratchnick]

I keep a 4x8 exterior brooder adjacent to my coop. There's a hardware cloth divider so I can allow the floockmates to socialize well before the littles come outside. I would build the shed with a brooder on one side and laying box on the other.

Even in small scale, brooding chicks is a task that is far better when over prepared. Nothing more demoralizing than killing babies because you weren't prepared. I am not a fan of brooding inside bcause my climate allows for a good brooder plate or heat lamp to work in an insulated brooding setup.

Whats The coldest weather you brood in?

 

[My Pretty Pekins]

I keep a 4x8 exterior brooder adjacent to my coop. There's a hardware cloth divider so I can allow the floockmates to socialize well before the littles come outside. I would build the shed with a brooder on one side and laying box on the other.

Even in small scale, brooding chicks is a task that is far better when over prepared. Nothing more demoralizing than killing babies because you weren't prepared. I am not a fan of brooding inside bcause my climate allows for a good brooder plate or heat lamp to work in an insulated brooding setup.

I do have a (fairly vague as yet) plan for the coop. For us, unless the chicks have been raised by a broody, we'd have to be indoors for the first few weeks. We keep a small brooder for that, generally it fits up to about 18-20 chicks. However, we also do have a small outdoor coop, which has a 1.5m run we open up when the chicks get to about 2-3 weeks old. This could be put next to the shed I suppose?

Thanks for the tip about preparation, I will certainly follow it. I have never had to kill a chick - or full grown bird for that matter - and I'm thankful for it.

I will attempt to describe the plans...
Front of Shed:
- Guttering on the top
- The solid wood door will be replaced by one of hardware cloth, with timber on the bottom
- This will be padlocked / other secure lock
Moving to the Left of Shed:
- Guttering along the edge of the roof
- 2 large flaps that can be propped open for ventilation or locked in stormy weather - are covered on the inside with hardware cloth
- The nestbox access flap (or whatever it's called)
- (Possibly this side, possibly on the right) A sliding door to access the run which can be pulled open from outside
Moving on to the Back of Shed:
- Guttering along the top
- Small, permanent ventilation holes, also covered with hardware cloth
And finally, the Right of Shed:
- Guttering along the edge of the roof
- (Possibly this side, possibly on the left) A sliding door to access the run which can be pulled open from outside
Inside:
- Their feeder and drinker will be hanging
- The floor will have a good layer of (probably) sawdust
- The roosts will have a poop-tray underneath

Can you see potential flaws in this? Anything I've missed?

 

[Folly's place]

Do you mean a sliding barn door type, or more of an interior conventional sliding door?
Barn door type sliding doors would be very difficult to predator proof (no openings larger than 1/2") while conventional sliding doors, in a coop environment, will have issues with the lower track getting full of shavings and chicken poo.
I have a 2'x2' sliding door between two of my coop sections, and the track gets gooey often, and needs scraping out. Okay for this, but not for a big door?!
Mary

 

[My Pretty Pekins]

Do you mean a sliding barn door type, or more of an interior conventional sliding door?
Barn door type sliding doors would be very difficult to predator proof (no openings larger than 1/2") while conventional sliding doors, in a coop environment, will have issues with the lower track getting full of shavings and chicken poo.
I have a 2'x2' sliding door between two of my coop sections, and the track gets gooey often, and needs scraping out. Okay for this, but not for a big door?!
Mary

Sorry, I think I have confused you... It's similar to this, but it's manual, not automatic. Only small. Would this work? Or should I go with something else?

 

[Folly's place]

I was confused!
There are threads about this sort of door here, and people love some and hate others. I've never used one, so don't know.
Mary

 

[My Pretty Pekins]

I was confused!
There are threads about this sort of door here, and people love some and hate others. I've never used one, so don't know.
Mary

I'm sorry to confuse you. With the sort I was proposing, I've actually used one before and got on fine, so I hope it'll be the same with this.

 

[tdan]

I brood down to high twenties. The brooder is insulated to r9 and uses automated control. The twenties weren't sustained for much longer than 48 hrs before it was high 30's. I would think you could insulate more and sustain brooding in positive temps. I just use a plate and have the automated light for when it dips. After a week or so, just ambient light, unless it's very cold (by my standard).

The only issue I ran into with taking chicks off of heat faster is the bunching up casualty. I angle off corners now, so they can suffocate a weak chick in the corner and all is well.

 

[Folly's place]

I havechicks out in the coop brooder section, with ambient temps down to the 30f's, when they are three weeks old. i have either their brooder plate or heat lamp out there until they don't use it, usually by the time they are about five weeks old.
Mary