I have an Aunt that used to work at a hatchery & i recall her giving us about 200 chicks for free because they were "overstock". It's been many years back, but we used a shed to brood them in. just an empty shed with heat lamps and all that baby stuff. i dont remember exactly how well it worked out for us though does or has anyone else here done this before? I CERTAINLY dont plan on keeping that many babies together, thats just asking for trouble... I plan on having seperated brooding areas for different hatches. they will probably be permanent fixtures, I have decided that cement floor is the safe way to go, instead of dirt. I would like to put the incubators out there also but i am worried about temp fluctuations. If anyone has ANY input on this idea of mine it would be greatly appreciated, I havent started it yet, i want to get everything in order & planned out first.
i plan i building one in the spring. as for putting your bators out there you could build a small room or closet that is insulated to house the bators. depending on size of your shed,& how many brooders you have going, you may be able to put the bators on a shelf & let the heat from your brooders heat the shed . hope this helps you or gives you some ideas.
It sounds like a very good idea. Chicks in the house are dusty and messy. I'd much rather have a shed where they could be away from the big birds, but not making a mess in the basement. Do you have an outbuilding you can use or are you planning on building one? It sounds like a very good idea.
We just recently tore one down & now have a large open area to build a new one. If i had to guess... the area is about 15'x10', but is probably bigger than that, i'm a bad guesser. right now i have everyone on the covered porch but it's still smelly & messy. I would much rather have a designated area for the babies & stuff. i never thought about how much the heat lamps would warm the building. bators might do fine outside.
I use a small shed (about 4 x 8 feet x 7 feet high) that was my original chicken house, for a brooder. I kept it, when we built a big chicken house, for broody hens and their chicks, or just to brood any babies.... from ducks, chickens, goats and kittens. Since it already had ventilation, nesting boxes and a pop door it is perfect for just about anything.
You just gave me a great idea! I am in the middle of remodeling a 30' x 13' building into breeder pens. I think I could make one of the pens like a double decker type, and even close it in better than just wire between the pens, as in a closet type, for brooder use in cooler weather as well! I have electricity there, so heat lamps would be fine. Hey, thanks for the idea! LOVE it! Kathy *who is tired of feathers and dust in the garage connected to the kitchen!*
