Brooders

[jaku]

So I'm going to be selling my brooder and building a new one. I'm thinking about an 8x10 shed type building, with about 48 sq. ft. for the broilers, then the remaining 32 sq. ft. for a small secondary brooder and/or storage. I'll probably put an automatic watering system in, a vent fan, and a woodchip floor. I want ideas. For people who brood at least 50-75 at a time, what do you use for a brooder? The 48 sq. ft. would pretty much double the size of my current brooder, but I'll be doing them on woodchips instead of wire.

I'm giving up on layers- we don't really eat that many eggs, so I was giving away MOST of the eggs I got. I'll be building the brooder where my layer coop currently is- I just put the layer coop on Craigslist. I don't know if anyone will be able to move the darn thing though! I'd keep them both, but I already have one structure next to my barn- adding a second one would start to make the whole area look a little ghetto.

 

[bja105]

My shed is part coop, part brooder. The Hens have half, with roosts, nest boxes, and shavings on the concrete floor. The other side is the brooders and feed storage. Two stock tanks, one for feed bags, the other is the small brooder. The main brooder is plywood, 30 inches tall, 4 feet by 5 feet. The floor is shavings on concrete. above the brooder walls on two sides are the interior studs of the shed, which I clamp one of the heat lamps to. The other lamp and feeders, waterers are suspended by wire or chains from the roof joists.

There are windows on the hens side, the screen door window on the brooder side is covered with plastic. I can see the red glow of the heat lamps from my bedroom, so I know the power is on to the shed.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

I am looking on craigs list now......

 

[JohnL11935]

Jason - Is this the brooder you are replacing? https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=320203


Was there anything in particular about that set-up you didn't like?


I've been using melon boxes with 25 birds each but I find the CCx's need to be ready by the end of week 3 to go outdoors otherwise its too crowded. Besides, I lost all my melon boxes in the 'Great Flood' a few weeks ago and was about to start building the one you made in that link.


Thanks.

 

[tsarge]

Quote:
How large are the melon boxes? I'm trying to figure out how big my brooder needs to be for 25 CX. I will be brooding them in a garage (no heat, just heat lamps). This is my first run with chickens so learning as I go. I have lots of scrap plywood and was thinking of a 4'x6' with 2' sides. Big enough? Too Big? Once they feather out they'll be headed for a 6'x8' outside pen.

The OP's brooder in that link is 4'x6' and says he got 80 chicks. Did they all go into the 4x6 brooder? Is 4x6 overkill for my 25 chicks to live in for 3-4 weeks?

 

[scubaforlife]

I brood 60 at a time in a 4'x6'x2' plywood box. I use deep bedding, turning it twice a day and adding 1" of bedding every time I turn it.

 

[JohnL11935]

The melon boxes are shaped like an oblong octagon - about 2.5' by 4.5'. The 4x6 you are planning will be fine. Keep your heat lamp(s) to one end and allow them to walk over to the cool end if they get overheated.

Best of luck.

 

[tsarge]

Quote:
How long to you have the 60 in the brooder? At what age are the nuggets before you put them outside? I am in northern Vermont, so our nights are pretty cool still in May. I'm hoping to put them outdoors at 3-4 weeks.

Does the deep litter method work well for you in controlling smell?

BTW, just finished the 4'x6'x2' plywood brooder. I've got a single 250w heat lamp about 1.5' off the bottom with a reflective tarp over the top. I can see right away via the thermometer that one heat lamp will not be enough...

 

[Brunty_Farms]

I will try to get some pics up for you. Currently we keep 600 in there at all times and the smell is very limited and cleaning is super easy. I'm getting ready to eat dinner but sometime tomorrow I will try to get some pics for you.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
Yup, that's the one. The wire does cut up their feet a bit, and I don't think they stay quite as warm, but I want to build a shed to put my chicken stuff in during the offseason, so it's not crowding my garage.

The OP's brooder in that link is 4'x6' and says he got 80 chicks. Did they all go into the 4x6 brooder? Is 4x6 overkill for my 25 chicks to live in for 3-4 weeks?

Yes, 80 live in there for about three weeks. For 25 chicks, you can get by with not much space. If you have a box that size, however, it wouldn't necessarily be TOO big, as long as you had it heated properly and draft free.​