Brooders

[jaku]

Quote:
That would be great!

 

[jaku]

Might as well pose it as a question in the thread about brooders, since I'm curious now- what does anyone think about sand as a litter material? It was mentioned in another thread, and it seems like it would be cheap, and easy to clean the poo out of with a screen. I hate buying endless chips- I have plenty of sand! My brooder will be a raised floor, so it wouldn't just be sand on the ground, so heat/insulation shouldn't be an issue either. Any positive/negative experiences with it?

 

[Brunty_Farms]

I would be interested in the sand as well. I hate wasting my money on pine shavings, it would be so bad if I didn't have to use so much. I need to find a supplier that will sell it by the pallet to me.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Here you go... mine serves as a green house too. Since the birds throw off so much heat, it only made sense to start my plants for the CSA garden as well. The chicks come in every two weeks and the silver stuff is a bubble wrap insulation. It reflects the heat and keeps the inside super warm. The biggest issue I have faced with meat birds, or any birds for that matter is keeping them nice and warm during that first week. They pile so much if they get the slightest bit wet. From my experience.... this stuff is gold here at my place. It's similar to the Tek Foil that Farm Tek sells. I swear by the stuff and wouldn't raise baby poultry with out it. They can get soaked and be fine because the air temperature is 95 degrees... not just a center spot from the light. I run three bulbs for the little box that you see and during the day they get turned off because it gets way to hot in the greenhouse as it's not needed. Chicks will be here Thursday, which is why the first brooder is empty.

After they are two weeks old they are weened from the light, and moved to the next pen. They are given plenty of room compared to the initial brooder pen. The last step in the brooder house is towards the back of the greenhouse with the doors open so they can venture out during the day and I can lock them in at night. I'm going to try to keep them in the brooder for 4-5 weeks to get a good start on them and then pasture them for the remaining. They do so much better when they are fully feathered as even those cool summer nights seem to slow them down a bit.

Don't mind the plant pictures... hope this gives you some ideas for your new one. I'm working with Neil Grassbaugh for automatic waters for each pen in the brooder. Everything here is a work in progress and trying to always update and improve the efficiency of getting the job done. I can tell you that I'm already sick and tired of carrying 5 gallon buckets.... my shoulders are going to be huge by the end of the summer! Good luck with your brooder, I would like to see some pics when you get it all together. Oh... and the last pic is of last nights dinner. If you have never done your own game hens, try them, they are amazing.

 

[jaku]

Those look great- and I must say, doubling your brooder as a greenhouse is nothing short of brilliant! Awesome idea.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

It gets hot as hell in there though... I need to install some rollup sides to it to create more air flow. The temp can be 45 and sunny outside but near 90 in the greenhouse, it is nice to work in there when you have a rainy day though, you can plant flats of whatever and listen to some music... while drinking a cup of coffee. By far the best investment to date.

 

[anthonyjames]

Jeff,

I see you made that of pvc. What size is that? I am actually doing the same for my place. I am building or intending to build mine 18 x 30 and use a plastic that can not be seen through but 90% light comes through. Have to deal with the zoning inspector right now about. I was planning to put my rabbits in there and have the chickens run below.

Do you have to replace that plastic pretty often or is it greenhouse plastic? I was looking at getting a 6 mil plastic from HomeDepot for the first year and hope to get 2 years out of it.

And with all the snow you had those held up pretty well with only a center purlin? That is awesome. I am using 3, 10ft long 1 1/2 electrical pvc for the arch. Hoping it comes to 18 x 30 x 8 / 9 ft tall.

 

[petrelline]

That hoop house is SWEEEEET. I need to build a hoop house for my vegetables, I hadn't thought of brooding chicks in there, too. You don't have predator problems? No rats or possums burrowing in and stealing chicks?

The hoop houses I've seen out here have wider doors than yours, both to enable letting a mini tractor in but also for airflow. They leave the doors wide open at both ends all day every day. And definitely shade cloth in the summer once the temperature gets over about 60.

Bookmarking this topic for later reference. I NEEEEED a hoop house.