Brooder Ideas/Suggestions

[jeremy]

I just ordered 26 birds from MMcM hatchery, and I'm hatching 36 eggs. All are due towards the end of March. IF everything goes as planned (no DOA chicks, 100% hatch rate.

I know, wishful thinking...) then I'll be overrun with lil' fuzz butts very soon. 62 to be exact.
(Everyone thinks I've got crazy.

)

I was wondering what those of you who have large amounts of chicks at a time use for a brooder? I'd like it to be something semi-permanent. So I'd be willing to build a little if I had to. The last time I had chicks I used cardboard boxes and it was a nightmare! I'm looking for something that is easy to clean and allows me to interact with the chickies as much as possible.

Picutres would be great, any suggestions?

 

[gritsar]

Here's my brooder, the same one we'll be using for this year's chicks since we saved all the pieces:

For more than 25 chicks I imagine you could simply use a bigger kiddie pool. The draft guard is made of PVC pipe (something we have plenty of here on the farm) and heavy duty plastic.

Works great until the little boogers figure out how to jump out of the pool. They are still contained by the draft guard though and can't wander too far from the heat source.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

I just use a very large rubbermaid container, but then I have never had more than 25 at any given time. Gritsar, that is one nice brooder with guard setup, very ingenious.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Thanks. The idea for it came to me while I was sleeping one night.

 

[CARS]

I use a stock (water) tank that was left behind when I bought the farm. It is rusty (leaking) on the bottom so it was a throw away item and means it would be hard to drown chicks if they ever knocked a waterer over.

The wire lid is to keep the cats out/birds in. I use a reptile thermostat to regulate the temps. If the bulbs work 100% of the time, I cover the wire lid with rigid insulation pieces.

 

[jeremy]

CARS, I was thinking something along the lines of your brooder. It seems like the easiest and most economical. But I have no idea where to purchase one?

Also, does anybody know how much one would cost?

Thanks!

 

[Laney]

You can buy one of those stock tanks at Tractor Supply. They aren't quite as big as that one, but they are loaded with them come spring time. You can order them on Tractor Supply.com too. You can get rubbermaid containers just as big as well.

For smaller broods I use rabbit/guinea pig cages. They work great for large groups of younger birds, and you can keep in the single guinea pig cages up to 3 Hens in there until about 9-12 weeks. I've had 12 Chicks in them at 3 weeks, but only overnight. They do make much larger versions though. They are very easy to get into and out of, easy to clean as well.

I have moved on and now have an outdoor brooder that is an actual coop, used to be a pigeon coop. I'll be using the rabbit cage for the first 2-3 days, then outside they will all go.

I'd go with something like Gritsar's, I'm absolutely loving working with PVC on the farm now. It's easy, cleans easy, goes together and comes apart easily. Glue what you want to stay together, don't glue what you want to come apart. I made a mineral feeder for my goats out of one, and I'm trying to figure out how to create a goat proof chicken feeder out of it now.

Laney

 

[TaylorC]

UFB:
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/grd/1612879100.html
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/grd/1611646430.html
Either of those look workable?