BROODER thread! Post pics of your brooders!

[Erica]

You all have the most amazing and cosy looking brooders. (The hen is nice too.)

This is my cold brooder for 30 x 3 week old meat chicks. Ambient temperature is about 15 celcius so brisk but not chilly. It drops to about 7C at night. I've cold brooded these birds in a range of cold brooders — they have to be built to cater to the size of the birds, number being brooded and outside conditions. Anyhow this one is doing the job nicely at present:

Cost: $40. Could have been made out of scraps but I was in a hurry to get it done so went to the hardware shop. However the mesh panels I cut to make the box etc are galvanised so it will last well.

It's basically a shallow rectangular mesh box (lidless) on legs. The chicks come and go underneath. The box is filled with hay or straw (though I've put it into a shadecloth bag to keep it from spilling out). On top of that is a tarp strapped in place. Airflow is under and through the sides.

Cold brooding is a fair bit of work... But it's safe from blackouts and power price rises. (Frankly so are broody hens, with less work.) But if like me you want chicks when you have no broodies...

regards
Erica

 

[AlbionWood]

 

[Matthew3590]

Quote:
Nice brooder you got there!

 

[diggergal]

My dh brought home a wood shipping crate to use as a brooder. It is about 3 ft x 4 ft x 2 ft high. Just perfect for my little chicks. At two weeks I did have to cover with wire to keep the little chickys from flying out
Sorry the pictures are out of order but you get the idea.

 

[ChickenThug]

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Very nice and inexpensive brooder y got there.

 

[Anianna]

I hope several of my fuzzbutts turn into those nice feathery brooders for future hatchlings.

 

[PrettyCoy]

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This is a great idea, we never use our jacuzzi tub and I'd totally steal the idea if I didn't think my husband would kill me . How do you get the shavings out afterward, a shopvac?

 

[Anianna]

Quote:
This is a great idea, we never use our jacuzzi tub and I'd totally steal the idea if I didn't think my husband would kill me . How do you get the shavings out afterward, a shopvac?

Tell your hubby it would save money over buying something new to serve the same purpose!

I don't have a shop vac, so I just scoop and sweep with a hand broom. I'd buy a shop vac, but the freezer is giving up and I need a freezer. The tub can be bleached pretty easily for future use. I did plug the drain with a washrag, so there are no shavings in the drain. That could be bad.

I had the lamp aimed lower last week, but this week, they prefer to be out of the light, so I shifted it some. I can get a stand to raise it if I need to, but this seems to be working. I hope to never use it again once my girls start laying, but we'll see!

 

[galanie]

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Totally my favorite brooder! I hope to be able to use one like that once this batch grows up.

 

[ChickInDelight]

My babies are still in a blue storage bin in my dining room presently. The weather is mild. It's May. I wonder how soon they can go outdoors in the hutch with a heat lamp.