Any large brooder ideas ?

[swheat]

Anyone built a large brooder ? Maybe like the 5 deck brooders but larger, I would like to hear your ideas or pics ?

thanks

 

[abhaya]

I dont have anything that big sorry

 

[Judy]

Here's one from the good old days: http://www.plamondon.com/brooder.shtml

This fellow I believe is still around, anyway has a book on the subject: http://www.plamondon.com/brooder.html

 

[swheat]

Thank you for the link

 

[Olive Hill]

Are you wanting a brooder with multiple levels or just a large one square footage wise?

I think I've tried it all, honestly -- bath tub brooding, rubbermaid tub brooding, pen+warm hideaway brooding kind of like what was linked to, brooding in the main coop with a segregated area, etc, etc. The way I like best is a full room/shed brooding setup. I like to be able to walk into my brooder just like I walk into any other coop, I like to be able to use large feeders and waterers and have hot, warm and cool areas within the brooder for the chicks to choose from. IME this results in the fewest losses, the least labor, the easiest management and the best results from the birds themselves for continuous high-capacity brooding. If you're just looking for high capacity for occasional brooding however, you may not find a full shed or room in a barn dedicated to brooding justifiable.

 

[crazzzymike13]

I built one just like ddawn showed in the Link. Works Great!!!! Kept them nice and warm. You don't have to use a heat lamp, Just a bulb. Only advice I would give on that is to use 2 seperate lights. Cause I used only one light in the brooder once, and it got COLD. Well the light went out and guess what? All my babies were dead!!! I was so mad! But yeah I really do like that brooder.

 

[swheat]

My problem with building one from the Plamondon link,is floor space, I would need lots of it. I have been thinking of something like the deck brooders. Maybe like a 4' X 4' 3 tier, with wire floor, with space between to slide rubber maid tubs(the sweater type "not very tall") for catch pans. If I can do that and keep it at 6' or so. Also with 2 light bulbs on each side.
I have been hatching any where from 50 to over 100 chicks every week or so...it is slowing down a bit with cooler weather(not getting as many eggs). I am running out of room fast..LOL
Figured I could build something pretty good for less than the cost of a new 5 deck brooder.
I appreciate all your ideas and input.

 

[jrobertson]

Quote:
hey steve, you've given me an idea for my next brooder, thanks. I like the idea of using a wooden frame of maybe 2x4s for the brooders and to hold the catch pans. i would probably build it to accomodate the larger under bed storage totes from sterilite for the catch pan. the ones that are the same width and height but twice as long. and build it with plans for the doors on the long side where i could still reach the very back.

 

[swheat]

Quote:
hey steve, you've given me an idea for my next brooder, thanks. I like the idea of using a wooden frame of maybe 2x4s for the brooders and to hold the catch pans. i would probably build it to accomodate the larger under bed storage totes from sterilite for the catch pan. the ones that are the same width and height but twice as long. and build it with plans for the doors on the long side where i could still reach the very back.

He Jared,
You know I think I still have some of those long sterilite pans( I need to dig those out and get measurement on them) back when I kept all those snakes. I have also been thinking to make it even bigger than I had first planned.

 

[jrobertson]

Quote:
hey steve, you've given me an idea for my next brooder, thanks. I like the idea of using a wooden frame of maybe 2x4s for the brooders and to hold the catch pans. i would probably build it to accomodate the larger under bed storage totes from sterilite for the catch pan. the ones that are the same width and height but twice as long. and build it with plans for the doors on the long side where i could still reach the very back.

He Jared,
You know I think I still have some of those long sterilite pans( I need to dig those out and get measurement on them) back when I kept all those snakes. I have also been thinking to make it even bigger than I had first planned.

I ALWAYS think bigger is better. i built one the other day 4x8 ft, 2 ft tall with a divider and two bulbs per side. it works good as a grow-out pen but i want something more compact and easy to clean. by the way, eggs are hatching.