Brooder Ideas

[gpark009]

Hey everyone I have this old metal shed and about 450 bobwhite quail hatching mid may. I was just wanting pick at people's ideas about brooder for them. I'm thinking of a 2x2 open top plywood brooder up like a shelf and built in a horseshoe. Has anyone had success or any better ideas?

 

[gpark009]

 

[DK newbie]

I'm not quite sure what you mean by '2x2 open top plywood brooder up like a shelf and built in a horseshoe'. I'm assuming you are not thinking that 2x2 ft would suffice for 450 chicks.
What I DO know is that bobwhites tend to be aggressive, even as chicks, and lots of space is a good way to prevent that. But 450 chicks is a massive amount of chicks - I'm thinking you'll be needing the entire shed before they are 2 weeks old. And after that they'll need much more than that. I'm not quite sure how much space is recommended, but expect it to be a lot.

 

[gpark009]

I'm not quite sure what you mean by '2x2 open top plywood brooder up like a shelf and built in a horseshoe'. I'm assuming you are not thinking that 2x2 ft would suffice for 450 chicks.
What I DO know is that bobwhites tend to be aggressive, even as chicks, and lots of space is a good way to prevent that. But 450 chicks is a massive amount of chicks - I'm thinking you'll be needing the entire shed before they are 2 weeks old. And after that they'll need much more than that. I'm not quite sure how much space is recommended, but expect it to be a lot.

I have multiple grow out cages for them already and two flight cages. My issue is getting them over that hump in brooder and out of my wife's house lol. What I meant by 2x2 was 2 foot wide bottom and 2 foot tall sides, and encompassing the whole shed sides with it. Making it a horseshoe design just so access is easier.

 

[gpark009]

I can always go wider I have the room in the shed, just trying to make it most accessible as possible

 

[DK newbie]

Hmm.. I'm not sure how long it'll take them to be able to fly 2 ft Are you planning to cover the top? I think my button chicks can fly 2 ft when they are about 2 weeks.
How many sqft would a 2 ft wide brooder along the wall in the shed give you? I'm hoping someone will come along who actually remembers the recommended space for brooding bobwhites..

 

[gpark009]

Roughly if I push to 3ft bottoms it'll be 100 square feet give and take. Regarding the top I plan on adding a top just not right off the bat.

After looking more deeply. I am debating on just building it off the ground and not up like a shelf. With that I can extend the side height taller.

 

[gpark009]

If I build it off the ground I can possibly push the width to 4 feet wide and still have a horseshoe configuration so I can move around in there and have some functionality.

 

[gpark009]

That or put up two long runs on each side of the shed from ground. Back just isn't what it used to be with bending over all the time.