Brooder Overhaul - Winging It

[Vadard]

The good news is that I have 30 chicks coming from Cackle Hatchery in April. The bad news is that I’ve got to get my sh-stuff together in terms of the brooder and coop builds.

For the brooder, I plan to repurpose the first chicken tractor I ever built. It’s a real beast, framed out of drops from a tongue-and-groove flooring project and scrapped stair rails. It’s 3’ x 10’, and here are the pros and cons:

Pros: Big enough, heavy, secure, already built. It’s also a great grow-out pen that’s segmented into two 3’ x 5’ halves. As the chicks grow, I can just let them have the other side.

Cons: Heavy, kinda ragged out from 2 years in the field, only 2 feet deep, and I have no idea how I’ll rig the lights up.

I’m going to set it up under a 16x8 lean-to behind my shed, so it will have a degree of weather protection. I can also get electricity from the shed.

Here’s what I’m starting with. I’ll post updates as I go.

My first priorities are nails & screws where needed and figuring out warming lights. I’d love to rig it up Ohio style with a couple of red halogen bulbs.

Anybody have suggestions for lights?

Thanks!

 

[Vadard]

Ok, I've about gotten this thing thrown together. I moved the tractor/brooder under the lean-to and put it up on some 6x6 post drops. I then strategically surrounded it with all my junk to scare predators away...

I hung a tarp on the north side to keep rain from blowing in, replaced the busted hinges and hasps so the doors are attached and lock-able, and rebuilt the little door between the two sections. Also ran electricity to the box. Now I just need to start experimenting with my brooder lights and warming plate to see what temps I can maintain. I may need to secure 1/4" HWC on one of the doors, too. Hoping I can just box in the brooder light on top with a small air space. We'll see!

Chicks coming in 2 weeks!

 

[aart]

I like the porcelain fixtures idea

You shouldn't run a heat lamp with out them.

Guess I need to experiment with a thermometer to make sure it’s getting the floor level warm enough.

For sure. Using a rheostat can make adjusting the temps much easier.

 

[Vadard]

Here's the finished product, and just in time. Chicks shipped yesterday!

I plan on using the Brinsea warming plate exclusively after the first few days, but I saw a video from Cackle Hatchery saying that you needed a brooder light at arrival to help the chicks recover from the trip.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

How cold will outdoor temps be at night? You could also look into a heat plate (or DIY heating pad version) and just use the heat lamps from afar if needed to take the edge off. Some heat plates need ambient temps to be 50F or higher, others do not.

Just a thought if that makes set up easier. If you don’t need the lamps at all, I’d think it would be for sure?

 

[Vadard]

STEP ZERO: DECONSTRUCT, DE-BUG, & DISINFECT

Decided to start off on the right foot by cleaning the pen out and assessing the damage from 2 years in a field. Took off the lid, soaked it down with the Universal Poultry Sterilizer (water+Dawn+Bleach) and let it soak for a while. Then blasted it out with the hose.

Looking much better. Less bug damage than I expected, no snakes or rats underneath it thankfully, and in general I think it’s salvageable.

Couldn’t resist popping a few nails in to hold the HWC down. Also nailed one of the side boards back in. I’ll need to put another board on top of it bc it’s just this side of rotten, but that will be for another day.

 

[Mr Spot]

The good news is that I have 30 chicks coming from Cackle Hatchery in April. The bad news is that I’ve got to get my sh-stuff together in terms of the brooder and coop builds.

For the brooder, I plan to repurpose the first chicken tractor I ever built. It’s a real beast, framed out of drops from a tongue-and-groove flooring project and scrapped stair rails. It’s 3’ x 10’, and here are the pros and cons:

Pros: Big enough, heavy, secure, already built. It’s also a great grow-out pen that’s segmented into two 3’ x 5’ halves. As the chicks grow, I can just let them have the other side.

Cons: Heavy, kinda ragged out from 2 years in the field, only 2 feet deep, and I have no idea how I’ll rig the lights up.

I’m going to set it up under a 16x8 lean-to behind my shed, so it will have a degree of weather protection. I can also get electricity from the shed.

Here’s what I’m starting with. I’ll post updates as I go.
View attachment 3405684View attachment 3405685View attachment 3405686

My first priorities are nails & screws where needed and figuring out warming lights. I’d love to rig it up Ohio style with a couple of red halogen bulbs.

Anybody have suggestions for lights?

Thanks!

That thing looks heavy, I hope you have a tractor to move it around. As far as lights, the red heat lamps in the porcelain fixtures should do the job.

 

[Vadard]

That thing looks heavy, I hope you have a tractor to move it around. As far as lights, the red heat lamps in the porcelain fixtures should do the job.

Heavy is right. For short distances. I roll it around on short pieces of 1” PVC. Otherwise, I tip it up and slide it into the bed of my truck.

I like the porcelain fixtures idea. Thinking I’ll cut them in about 12” above the floor. Guess I need to experiment with a thermometer to make sure it’s getting the floor level warm enough. Thanks!

 

[aart]

I'm in the Deep South, so it will be warm by then. Probably 50s at night at the coldest, 60s-70s most likely. I definitely want use a heat plate, but Cackle posted a Youtube video saying not to use heat plates for the first week. I like the combination idea. Start with both, then turn the light off after the first week or two. Good ideas. Thanks!

You can use heat plates the first week, but having a light over the feed stations during the first few days is a good idea.
BUT....you'd need more than a few plates for 30 chicks.

 

[3KillerBs]

I was worried about BBQing the chicks if I used a 250-watt warmer light in that box.

As a fellow hot-climate person, I solved that problem by using lower wattage bulbs -- having an assortment of reptile bulbs from 60-150 watt as well as the Big Red Bulb.

I'm using a heat plate now, but I think it would be difficult to have that many chicks with plates unless you separated them into smaller groups.

IIRC, the reason that some hatcheries say not to use the plates is that while they're fine for keeping chicks we hatch at home warm (chicks that have never been cold), they're not suited to the rewarming of chilled chicks because the only work when the chick touches them and don't warm the environment.