Brooder bottom options

[Artistickatt]

I have been reading as much as possible and I am trying to look forward to planning for a better brooder bottom as my peachicks get older. I have read a lot about wire bottom hutches, which I would think would be terribly bad on their feet, does anyone use these mats so give fall through but support?

https://a.co/d/3aObdl7

Thanks for putting up with the questions as I read as much as I can of the forums.

Artistickatt

 

[KsKingBee]

We use large flake pine shavings for the first two weeks then they go to stack brooders with .25 wire mesh for another four weeks. After that they go to our outside brooder house with 1/2x1" wire bottoms until they are ten to twelve weeks of age. After that they go to the ground. The wire flooring does not hurt their feet although if you use zip ties on the legs to tell them apart the zips can get caught in the wire. That is the only drawback I have experienced.

 

[Artistickatt]

We use large flake pine shavings for the first two weeks then they go to stack brooders with .25 wire mesh for another four weeks. After that they go to our outside brooder house with 1/2x1" wire bottoms until they are ten to twelve weeks of age. After that they go to the ground. The wire flooring does not hurt their feet although if you use zip ties on the legs to tell them apart the zips can get caught in the wire. That is the only drawback I have experienced.

Do you have a picture of your outside brooder house?

 

[KsKingBee]

Do you have a picture of your outside brooder house?

 

[KsKingBee]

 

[Artistickatt]

Wow thank you, that is quite the setup. I am trying to figure out a setup for 3 (I am going to reduce my original number with that you have said about space for winter. Figuring out the in between needs for just a few is a bit of a challenge. I was thinking that size would go to my large pen, but it looks like I need something that is … a large dog crate size?

 

[KsKingBee]

To be clear; the chicks are only in the outside brooder until they are ten to twelve weeks of age then they go to the ground in large flight pens where they can run and play using all the excess protein to strengthen their bodies.