Any suggestions for my wool hen project?

[jher77]

I'd like to see your end product and know how good it does.

 

[WILIFORD]

I'd like to see your end product and know how good it does.

I will be taking it out to make some modifications in the next couple of days. I will take some better pics to post.

 

[WILIFORD]

This may be a bit lengthy. But my Wool Hen works-Here's how
First, Thank you to everyone for your input on this project. You will notice, I incorporated everyone's ideas into the final project.

My wool hen is now working in the manner I hoped for.

My goal was to get away from using any electrical to brood my chicks. As well as to have something that is large enough to raise 18 chicks from day one, to 6 weeks if necessary. Additionally, I wanted something that is easy to clean.

Here is one major flaw in my thinking that may help anyone considering building a wool hen. Initially I thought the chicks body heat would be responsible for creating the heat in the interior of the box. This, in my observation is not quite correct. For example, the interior temperature in the box at night is around 55 degrees. But when I stuck my hand in the box between the wool strips and the chicks it was toasty warm. The closest reading, I could get was about 85 to 90 degrees. This is because the wool laying on top of the chicks traps the heat for them, like a blanket, or the mamma hen sitting on them, so the temperature inside the box, is not important. The temperature beneath the wool, where it lays on the chicks is what's important. Once I thought about how it occurs in nature, it made since. It can be 40 degrees outside, but that's unimportant, how warm it is under mamma hen is what's critical.

Here is as brief a description as I can give to my build. I built my box 40” long, 16” wide, and the height is 11 ½. I used 1 X 12 lumber for the box, and 3/8 plywood for the top.

Hanger rails: these are down the length on both sides. I drilled 3/8-inch holes, every inch through two pieces of 1 inch by ¼” wood. I then ripped it length ways just above the top of the holes. I then attached them ¾” from the top off the box, this allows the rods to be removed from the underside, for future cleaning, without having to remove the lid of the box. This rails created slots every inch to hang my quarter inch dowels, (or rods) from, which have 1” strips of wool cut to hang ½” shy of the floor. Each 1” strip has a ½” spacer in between. These spacers were made from the cheapest 3/8” poly tubing I could find, in the plumbing section of the big box store.

Wool strips: I found a cheap wool blanket at our local military surplus store. But I had to shop two places. One place wanted $40 for a used 50% wool blanket. The second place where I bought from, cost $20 for a new 70% wool blanket. I then made several curtains the length I would ultimately need the wool strips to be. Remember to stitch the sleeve of the curtain big enough to allow it to slip on to a ¼” dowel. I did double stitch these for durability. I then cut the curtains in to 1” strips. The poly tubing is self-explanatory. Just cut a bunch of ½” lengths.

Wood Dowels: Just think of these as curtain rods. These are ¼” dowels from the big box store. I cut them all 1/8” shorter than the width of the box. This allows then to be loose enough for ease of removal and installation as needed.

Modifications: Initially they would not go in it. Per input from several of you good people, I made some modifications that proved successful. I drilled about 10 ¾” holes in the top for ventilation. I added two larger entry points (7”X11”). I positioned them at the ends for the following reason; These were the corners they had been clustering to for warmth, so I figured this might help motivate them to enter the box. I also added a string of battery powered, cool temp, red Christmas LED lights. These LED's generate no heat. I think this helped them feel comfortable entering it the first 3 days, after that they started going in without the light being on. I also removed a few wool strips near the entrances, and added a few longer spacers, to create an alcove at both entrances. I think this allowed them to step in and investigate before fully entering. I am not sure if I needed to do this, but I wanted every chance for success.

Cleaning: My goal is after a few uses, I am sure this will need cleaning, I will be able to remove the curtain rods, remove the wool strips, place them loosely in a mesh bag, and wash them.

I have attached several pictures. Let me know if you have any questions.
Again, Thanks to everyone for your input. You guys are great!

 

[333113]

This may be a bit lengthy. But my Wool Hen works-Here's how
First, Thank you to everyone for your input on this project. You will notice, I incorporated everyone's ideas into the finally project.

My wool hen is now working in the manner I hoped for.

My goal was to get away from using any electrical to brood my chicks. As well as to have something that is large enough to raise 18 chicks from day one, to 6 weeks if necessary. Additionally, I wanted something that is easy to clean.

Here is one major flaw in my thinking that may help anyone considering building a wool hen. Initially I thought the chicks body heat would be responsible for creating the heat in the interior of the box. This, in my observation is not quite correct. For example, the interior temperature in the box at night is around 55 degrees. But when I stuck my hand in the box between the wool strips and the chicks it was toasty warm. The closest reading, I could get was about 85 to 90 degrees. This is because the wool laying on top of the chicks traps the heat for them, like a blanket, or the mamma hen sitting on them.

Here is as brief a description as I can give to my build. I built my box 40” long, 16” wide, and the height is 11 ½. I used 1 X 12 lumber for the box, and 3/8 plywood for the top.

Hanger rails: these are down the length on both sides. I drilled 3/8-inch holes, every inch through two pieces of 1 inch by ¼”. I then ripped it length ways just above the top of the holes. I then attached them ¾” from the top off the box, this allows them to be removed from the underside, for future cleaning, without having to remove the lid of the box. This created slots every inch to hang my quarter inch dowels, which have 1” strips of wool cut to hang ½” shy of the floor. Each 1” strip has a ½” spacer in between. These spacers were made from the cheapest 3/8” poly tubing I could find, in the plumbing section of the big box store.

Wool strips: I found a cheap wool blanket at our local military surplus store. But I had to shop two places. I place wanted $40 for a used 50% wool blanket. The place I bought cost $20 for a new 70% wool blanket. I then made several curtains the length I would ultimately need the wool strips to be. Remember to stitch the sleeve of the curtain big enough to allow it to slip on to a ¼” dowel. I did double stitch these for durability. I then cut the curtains in to 1” strips. The poly tubing is self-explanatory. Just cut a bunch of ½” lengths.

Wood Dowels: Just think of these as curtain rods. These are ¼” dowels from the big box store. I cut them all 1/8” shorter that the width of the box. This allows then to be loose enough for ease of removal and installation as needed.

Modifications: Initially they would not go in it. Per input from several of you good people I made some modifications that proved successful. I drilled about 10 ¾” holes in the top for ventilation. I added two larger doors (7”X11”). I positioned them at the ends for a reason. These were the corners they had been clustering to for warmth, so I figured this might help motivate them to enter the box. I also added a string of battery powered, cool temp, red Christmas LED lights. These LED's generate no heat. I think this helped them feel comfortable entering it the first 3 days, after that they started going in without the light being on. I also removed a few wool strips near the entrances, and added a few longer spacers, to create an alcove at both entrances. I think this allowed them to step in and investigate before fully entering. I am not sure if I needed to do this, but I wanted every chance for success.

Cleaning: My goal is after a few uses, I am sure this will need cleaning, I will be able to remove the curtain rods, remove the wool strips, place them in a mesh bag loosely, and wash them.

I have attached several pictures. Let me know if you have any questions.
Again, Thanks to everyone for your input. You guys are great!

Just a thought. They may have started going under the wool hen on their own because you placed them there for several days, and they learned to do that.

A mother hen calls chicks, and she is "pre-warmed" before their body heat starts reacting with the wool. Even without these two attractants, I think the chicks would learn to be comfortable with going in there based on the warm factor and the good habit you taught them. You may not really need the LEDs.

Removing a few strips at the entrance is probably a good idea, too. Mother hens typically "make a hole" for chicks to enter by standing up a bit and arching a wing or two.

 

[WILIFORD]

Just a thought. They may have started going under the wool hen on their own because you placed them there for several days, and they learned to do that.

A mother hen calls chicks, and she is "pre-warmed" before their body heat starts reacting with the wool. Even without these two attractants, I think the chicks would learn to be comfortable with going in there based on the warm factor and the good habit you taught them. You may not really need the LEDs.

Removing a few strips at the entrance is probably a good idea, too. Mother hens typically "make a hole" for chicks to enter by standing up a bit and arching a wing or two.

I was hoping they would start going in, if I kept placing them in it, but I don't think that's what happened. Mainly because they all still fought me on it every night, and a few of the roo's would come right back out, and I had to stick them deep in it, to get them to stay. But it is a possibility

 

[JVanKieran]

This may be a bit lengthy. But my Wool Hen works-Here's how
First, Thank you to everyone for your input on this project. You will notice, I incorporated everyone's ideas into the final project.

My wool hen is now working in the manner I hoped for.

My goal was to get away from using any electrical to brood my chicks. As well as to have something that is large enough to raise 18 chicks from day one, to 6 weeks if necessary. Additionally, I wanted something that is easy to clean.

Here is one major flaw in my thinking that may help anyone considering building a wool hen. Initially I thought the chicks body heat would be responsible for creating the heat in the interior of the box. This, in my observation is not quite correct. For example, the interior temperature in the box at night is around 55 degrees. But when I stuck my hand in the box between the wool strips and the chicks it was toasty warm. The closest reading, I could get was about 85 to 90 degrees. This is because the wool laying on top of the chicks traps the heat for them, like a blanket, or the mamma hen sitting on them, so the temperature inside the box, is not important. The temperature beneath the wool, where it lays on the chicks is what's important. Once I thought about how it occurs in nature, it made since. It can be 40 degrees outside, but that's unimportant, how warm it is under mamma hen is what's critical.

Here is as brief a description as I can give to my build. I built my box 40” long, 16” wide, and the height is 11 ½. I used 1 X 12 lumber for the box, and 3/8 plywood for the top.

Hanger rails: these are down the length on both sides. I drilled 3/8-inch holes, every inch through two pieces of 1 inch by ¼” wood. I then ripped it length ways just above the top of the holes. I then attached them ¾” from the top off the box, this allows the rods to be removed from the underside, for future cleaning, without having to remove the lid of the box. This rails created slots every inch to hang my quarter inch dowels, (or rods) from, which have 1” strips of wool cut to hang ½” shy of the floor. Each 1” strip has a ½” spacer in between. These spacers were made from the cheapest 3/8” poly tubing I could find, in the plumbing section of the big box store.

Wool strips: I found a cheap wool blanket at our local military surplus store. But I had to shop two places. One place wanted $40 for a used 50% wool blanket. The second place where I bought from, cost $20 for a new 70% wool blanket. I then made several curtains the length I would ultimately need the wool strips to be. Remember to stitch the sleeve of the curtain big enough to allow it to slip on to a ¼” dowel. I did double stitch these for durability. I then cut the curtains in to 1” strips. The poly tubing is self-explanatory. Just cut a bunch of ½” lengths.

Wood Dowels: Just think of these as curtain rods. These are ¼” dowels from the big box store. I cut them all 1/8” shorter than the width of the box. This allows then to be loose enough for ease of removal and installation as needed.

Modifications: Initially they would not go in it. Per input from several of you good people, I made some modifications that proved successful. I drilled about 10 ¾” holes in the top for ventilation. I added two larger entry points (7”X11”). I positioned them at the ends for the following reason; These were the corners they had been clustering to for warmth, so I figured this might help motivate them to enter the box. I also added a string of battery powered, cool temp, red Christmas LED lights. These LED's generate no heat. I think this helped them feel comfortable entering it the first 3 days, after that they started going in without the light being on. I also removed a few wool strips near the entrances, and added a few longer spacers, to create an alcove at both entrances. I think this allowed them to step in and investigate before fully entering. I am not sure if I needed to do this, but I wanted every chance for success.

Cleaning: My goal is after a few uses, I am sure this will need cleaning, I will be able to remove the curtain rods, remove the wool strips, place them loosely in a mesh bag, and wash them.

I have attached several pictures. Let me know if you have any questions.
Again, Thanks to everyone for your input. You guys are great!

THIS IS AMAZING!!!! Thank you from the bottom of my little chicken loving heart for that detailed, amazing description and the perfect photos! I love you today! You are my hero! <3

 

[WILIFORD]

A quick update: I have not had time to post anything lately. So the wool hen worked great. I raised 14 chicks all the way through 6 weeks old with now heat source since day 3, other than the wool hen. Two things additional things I would change that i have not mentioned in the previous post are 1) as one guest had posted, the LED lights are not needed. They went dead after 3 days, and the chicks continued to use the wool hen. I believe the removing of some of the strips at the entrance was what promoted them entering the unit on their own. 2) I need to make a modification to how the rods hang in the slots. by the time I removed the wool hen at week 6, they had knock several of the rods down, and had pooped all over them. I have an easy fix that will prevent this. Once I completed the mod I will post some pics and an explanation. However the rods that did not get knocked down, were nice and clean and ready for another hatch. Which tells me, I don't need to clean them after every use. I was able to blow it out with my air compressor in just a couple of minutes. As a foot note. I had a friend who was hatching 6 eggs with his kids as a keep busy during COVID project. Beings I did not get to put mine in the wool hen until day 3 I used this as an opportunity. So I built him a small scale unit of the same design. Hid chicks are now 6 weeks old and have had no source of heat from day one, other than the wool hen.
More to come.

 

[aart]

I raised 14 chicks all the way through 6 weeks old with now heat source since day 3, other than the wool hen.

What was the ambient temperature where the wool hen was used?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[WILIFORD]

What was the ambient temperature where the wool hen was used?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 2611182

During the 6 weeks for my chicks the lows ranged from mid 30's to mid 40's (Fahrenheit). I had no issues with these temps. I'm sure it would work at lower temps, but how low, who knows>

 

[jher77]

Good to know. Thanks for returning to update what happened.