Brooder design feedback

[Ridgerunner]

The bottom is open.

I can see that now through the cut-outs for the chick doors. I'll still suggest you consider putting a wire floor on it and elevating it. That keeps it dry plus you have a broody buster, a hospital to isolate in injured chickens, or a place to put a chicken or chickens you want to lock up from the others. It could have many uses.

But your current course of action is also a good way to go. See if you have a problem before you solve what might be a problem. Elevating it with a wire floor might be a solution if you do have a problem

Good luck.

 

[Becks Chicks]

I can see that now through the cut-outs for the chick doors. I'll still suggest you consider putting a wire floor on it and elevating it. That keeps it dry plus you have a broody buster, a hospital to isolate in injured chickens, or a place to put a chicken or chickens you want to lock up from the others. It could have many uses.

But your current course of action is also a good way to go. See if you have a problem before you solve what might be a problem. Elevating it with a wire floor might be a solution if you do have a problem

Good luck.

I can probably add another 3 panels to the bottom. I'll just have to think through how best to do that so it will take the weight of the structure and be foldable/collapsible for storage.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The bottom is open. It's the run floor, which is about 4-6" of pine shavings.

I'm a fan of an open bottom actually (as my brooder is the same) - it makes clean up easy as you simply move the brooder to a cleaner spot, rather than actually doing any work But the pine shavings could be problematic if rain gets in there. I get away with having mine out in the rain because of the panels mentioned before, plus I build up 2-3" of deep litter under the entire brooder, so it sits up higher than the rest of the ground, so any rain or ground water drains almost immediately. Shavings tend to hold onto water, hence my suggestion that you check for and remove any wet bedding after rainfall.

 

[Becks Chicks]

I'm a fan of an open bottom actually (as my brooder is the same) - it makes clean up easy as you simply move the brooder to a cleaner spot, rather than actually doing any work But the pine shavings could be problematic if rain gets in there. I get away with having mine out in the rain because of the panels mentioned before, plus I build up 2-3" of deep litter under the entire brooder, so it sits up higher than the rest of the ground, so any rain or ground water drains almost immediately. Shavings tend to hold onto water, hence my suggestion that you check for and remove any wet bedding after rainfall.

Thank you! That’s an excellent suggestion to build up under the brooder. I have an extra bag of shavings laying around so it’s no problem to build that area up higher in the run.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm a fan of an open bottom actually (as my brooder is the same) - it makes clean up easy as you simply move the brooder to a cleaner spot, rather than actually doing any work But the pine shavings could be problematic if rain gets in there. I get away with having mine out in the rain because of the panels mentioned before, plus I build up 2-3" of deep litter under the entire brooder, so it sits up higher than the rest of the ground, so any rain or ground water drains almost immediately. Shavings tend to hold onto water, hence my suggestion that you check for and remove any wet bedding after rainfall.

One way I've built up bedding under my brooder, especially when wanting to insulate the chicks against cold ground in early spring/late winter has been to use "flakes" off a straw bale almost like a tiled floor under the shavings.

 

[Becks Chicks]

This is what I'm going to tackle today when I get off work:

• Outline the hardware cloth for the escape/chick doorways with electrical tape giving it a pseudo-frame.
• I have a white window paint dobber that I will use to color in the escape doors. That should help the chicks realize when they are lifted and open. I could be overthinking this and maybe they are smarter than I realize.
• Will put a layer of straw on top of the run floor and then finish with wood shavings to elevate the brooder. This should keep the floor dry.
• Will build a frame with hardware mesh to go under the food and water. I need to figure out some sort of catch basin to go under it for spills. I'll place this directly under the area that's above the top hardware mesh panel. If a small amount of rain does come through the top, it will fall into the catch basin and won't get the run floor wet. Similar to this:

Thanks for everyone's help. You guys are great! Chicks shipped yesterday and I expect they'll be here tomorrow.

 

[aart]

I have a white window paint dobber that I will use to color in the escape doors. That should help the chicks realize when they are lifted and open. I could be overthinking this and maybe they are smarter than I realize.

Sounds like a good idea to me.....will help you know if it's open or shut too.

 

[Becks Chicks]

The chicks arrived a day early so I scrambled around to get done. I didn’t need to frame the hardware cloth with electrical tape because the minute I lifted the door, they tried running out.

I made a simple frame using the leftover furring strips for the food/water station. I used plastic bins from the dollar store under it.

 

[jreardon1918]

The chicks arrived a day early so I scrambled around to get done. I didn’t need to frame the hardware cloth with electrical tape because the minute I lifted the door, they tried running out.

I made a simple frame using the leftover furring strips for the food/water station. I used plastic bins from the dollar store under it.

View attachment 3259217View attachment 3259218

This looks great. Open floor will be fine. The chicks from day one experience real life in the run. They will be semi integrated by 6 weeks. Our pullets are now 22 weeks and fully integrated. We started letting them mingle at 4 weeks. They got their share of pecking. But no blood drawn. Now that they are all laying, there is very little drama.
Good luck.

 

[Becks Chicks]

This looks great. Open floor will be fine. The chicks from day one experience real life in the run. They will be semi integrated by 6 weeks. Our pullets are now 22 weeks and fully integrated. We started letting them mingle at 4 weeks. They got their share of pecking. But no blood drawn. Now that they are all laying, there is very little drama.
Good luck.

I appreciate this. I‘m a little nervous having them in the coop from day 1. They were all eating and drinking and getting warm under the brooder plate so they should hopefully be fine. I just checked on them and they seem fine. They are mostly under the brooder plate and run out to get food and water and then head back to get warm.