Brooder design feedback

[Becks Chicks]

I have 6 chicks coming and I am going to construct a brooder today. I’ve sketched out my idea. Can I please get some feedback?

Key ideas:

• Will go in outdoor run.
• Want it collapsible and lightweight for easy removal and storage.
• Three sides will have polycarbonate and the front will be hardware cloth. I’m not sure about the detachable top. I’m trying to use the materials I have on hand so I think hardware cloth. Frames are 1”x2” furring strips.
• The front middle panel will have a door that opens. The two front side panels will have chick doors that can be opened or closed.
• Plan to have full integration by 6 weeks.

How large should I make the chick doors? Is there anything I should change? I can make it 2’x8’, but that will increase the weight. I used a MHP on my last batch of chicks, but plan to use a brooder plate that is 12”x18” this time around.

 

[Acre4Me]

Nice!

Make your chicken doors on the smaller side - depending on the main flock sizes. I have had a trim, adult EE and some under year old trim pullets get in a “safe” area bc the openings were too big. So, think of your adult flock and make the doors too small for them. In other words, use your existing flock to design a door too small for the smallest of the current flock.

Is the brooder going to be in a predator proof run?

 

[aart]

How large should I make the chick doors?

3 to 3 1/2" wide.

 

[Becks Chicks]

Nice!

Make your chicken doors on the smaller side - depending on the main flock sizes. I have had a trim, adult EE and some under year old trim pullets get in a “safe” area bc the openings were too big. So, think of your adult flock and make the doors too small for them. In other words, use your existing flock to design a door too small for the smallest of the current flock.

Is the brooder going to be in a predator proof run?

Yes. The coop is completely predator proof with hardware cloth sandwiched with 2x4s and fender washers.

 

[Becks Chicks]

I finished the brooder; though I see a couple of issues that I need to troubleshoot. To recap, sides and back and 2 top panels have poly. Front and 1 top panel is hardware cloth.

Problem 1: The escape chick doors are made of clear Polycarbonate. We wanted to use what we had leftover from our recent coop build. Because they are clear, will the chicks be confused when they are open vs closed? I can black sharpie the doors so it will be obvious when they are open.

Problem 2: Will the chicks get frightened if the pullets hop on the top of the brooder? It’s made of polycarbonate as well so they’ll be able to see any pullets that fly up there. I can add clingwrap to the top and make it opaque if that’s necessary.

Problem 3: The last panel on the top is made of hardware cloth. The run is covered with 12” overhangs but I’m concerned a small bit of moisture could get in there should it rain. Is that something I need to be concerned about?

 

[rosemarythyme]

P1: Hmm, probably doesn't matter as the door "marking" would only be visible when closed. If it was a matter of making the openings more visible when opened, then I'd opt for that, but that's not the case here.

P2: Good question, not sure. My hens would jump on top of my brooder but it's a metal roof.

P3: A little rain is ok - I would suggest checking the litter in there after rain storms and scooping out any that is noticeably wet. I used to pull my brooder in during rain and now it sits out, with plastic panels slanted over the sides to ward off wind driven, sideways rain.

 

[3KillerBs]

Is there any chance that the sun could hit the polycarbonate and create greenhouse effect heating?

 

[Becks Chicks]

Is there any chance that the sun could hit the polycarbonate and create greenhouse effect heating?

Gosh I have no idea. I’ll research it today and maybe I can find out.

The whole front is hardware cloth along with a top panel so at least the heat can escape.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Problem 1: The escape chick doors are made of clear Polycarbonate. We wanted to use what we had leftover from our recent coop build. Because they are clear, will the chicks be confused when they are open vs closed? I can black sharpie the doors so it will be obvious when they are open.

I don't know if that would be an issue or not. How hard would it be to spray paint the door one color and the area around it another. Just an outline around it.

Problem 2: Will the chicks get frightened if the pullets hop on the top of the brooder? It’s made of polycarbonate as well so they’ll be able to see any pullets that fly up there. I can add clingwrap to the top and make it opaque if that’s necessary.

I would not worry about it. They are not going to be harmed by the pullets hopping up there. They will very soon get used to it. You want them to see each other to help integration.

Problem 3: The last panel on the top is made of hardware cloth. The run is covered with 12” overhangs but I’m concerned a small bit of moisture could get in there should it rain. Is that something I need to be concerned about?

Yes, rain does blow in from the side. A wet brooder can be a dangerous brooder from a disease standpoint. It can also cause the brooder to stink. But it would have to stay "wet" or pretty moist a couple of days for those to be a real problem. Looks like you have it on wood shavings.

Is the bottom made from 1/2" hardware cloth? If it is 1/2" the poop should drop through until they are probably 12 weeks old or so if you don't put any bedding on it. That keeps the brooder dry. My brooder in the coop and my grow-out coop out in the weather are elevated enough that I can get a rake under them to remove any poop build-up. If you are worried about the being on wire (I'm not) put a couple of pieces of plywood on the floor so you can tip them and scrape them to get any poop out through that wire floor.

Or do as Rosemary said.

Is there any chance that the sun could hit the polycarbonate and create greenhouse effect heating?

With the ventilation you have I don't think this will be a problem. Hot air rises and you have a large opening in top for that hot air to escape.

 

[Becks Chicks]

I don't know if that would be an issue or not. How hard would it be to spray paint the door one color and the area around it another. Just an outline around it.


I would not worry about it. They are not going to be harmed by the pullets hopping up there. They will very soon get used to it. You want them to see each other to help integration.


Yes, rain does blow in from the side. A wet brooder can be a dangerous brooder from a disease standpoint. It can also cause the brooder to stink. But it would have to stay "wet" or pretty moist a couple of days for those to be a real problem. Looks like you have it on wood shavings.

Is the bottom made from 1/2" hardware cloth? If it is 1/2" the poop should drop through until they are probably 12 weeks old or so if you don't put any bedding on it. That keeps the brooder dry. My brooder in the coop and my grow-out coop out in the weather are elevated enough that I can get a rake under them to remove any poop build-up. If you are worried about the being on wire (I'm not) put a couple of pieces of plywood on the floor so you can tip them and scrape them to get any poop out through that wire floor.

Or do as Rosemary said.


With the ventilation you have I don't think this will be a problem. Hot air rises and you have a large opening in top for that hot air to escape.

The bottom is open. It's the run floor, which is about 4-6" of pine shavings. I have some leftover HDPE remnants that I could lay on the top to block any rain. I guess I'll have to see how the run does in the rain. Last night was the first time it has rained since we built the coop and everything inside the run was completely dry.