Chick (brooder) Coop

[SweetMissDaisy]

AWESOME!! And the chicks are ADORABLE!!

 

[Autumn Mama]

That looks *amazing*!!!

Just a thought: you might want to use paper towel over the wire to prevent spraddle leg, which can be caused from standing and walking on slippery newspaper.

If I get into hatching someday, I'm going to have a brooder like this!!! Sure beats my Rubbermaid Special, lol!

*ETA: My Dh just pointed out you're using cardboard over the wire... I'm sure you know what you're doing!

 

[Swede]

Does the bottom slide out for easy cleaning? Could this be a coop for two or three chickens?

 

[Thomas423]

Hackleberry,
I love your brooder!! Showed it to hubby and he is going to start on one today for our girls who are quickly outgrowing theirs.

But......laying in bed last night, I was thinking about what height we wanted it. Then it dawned on me that my chicks like to fly and hop out of the brooder that they are in now. A few have been doing it since they were 5 days old. I have to hold them back but one or two usually slip through. The brooder sits on the floor so no big deal. The height you have yours will be a great fall if one slips by you. Maybe you can add a "porch" under the door to catch any that hop out. Just wanted to warn you so there are no broken wings and such.

With that said.......awesome brooder!!!

 

[Hackleberry]

Swede,

Yes, the bottom sheets slide out for easy cleaning. It could be used for a coop for two or three chickens but it is pretty high off the ground. If I were to build it as a small coop I believe I would build it lower with a hinged roof for access to the interior when closer to the ground.

Autumn Mama,

I have the cardboard and newpaper down under the chicks for about a week or ten days until the get a little larger and stronger. After that I intend to remove it and then they will be on the 1/2 inch hardware cloth wire floor and hopefully they will be fine and the droppings will pass through onto the slide out poop boards underneath.

Thomas423,

Right you are on the door openings at the height of the coop. On retrospect if I were building this again I'd leave about 4 inches or so of wall under the door to make it a little less likely that a baby chick will go (skydiving) out the door. I may put a 4 inch wide board across the bottom of the door openings. So far none have bailed out but I've been watching them carefully when the door is open.

Thanks all for the kind compliments on my chick coop. Hackleberry

 

[Anny]

very cute that would make a good hospital coop as well.

 

[BeautifulBlue]

Hiya this is fantastic, will this be kept inside? I read that OSB isn't good for outside weather?

 

[Scoop]

Wow! If that's what your brooder looks like, what in the world do you got planned for your chicken coop?

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Perfect! I will show this to DH who wanted to spend $99 on the TSC hutch!

 

[Hackleberry]

BeautifulBlue,

Yes, OSB doesn't do well out in the weather. I built my coop for chicks and as such I'll be using it inside so as to control the swings in temp. However if I decide put it outside I'll put some roofing material on top and give the exterior a couple coats of paint.

Hackleberry