Collapsible brooder designs?

[archeryrob]

I want to make a big brooder that might be 4' x 8' and I am trying to find designs that break down into stackable sections that don't a lot of space when not being used. I will make it out of wood and probably stick and Ohio brooder inside of it and play around with a temperature controller for it, which I already bought.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Have you looked at the coop section here might get ideas there .. most just screw together then reverse to store. I use a huge plastic storage tub cover in hardware cloth but have a extra room to out it in .. good luck

 

[linsybird]

I built the one from this video, with a couple modifications

It worked pretty good on my covered porch, but wouldn’t hold up if it was exposed to the elements. It was a pain in the butt to get lined up and if the wood swells it gets pretty stuck together, but it’s easy to collapse and store.

 

[DigitalChook]

I built the one from this video, with a couple modifications

It worked pretty good on my covered porch, but wouldn’t hold up if it was exposed to the elements. It was a pain in the butt to get lined up and if the wood swells it gets pretty stuck together, but it’s easy to collapse and store.

I built one using the same idea with a couple of modifications; I used a single sheet 2.4m x 1.2m without any additional timber. My box is smaller (by approx half), and turns out to be to small for to keep 7 chick for 6 weeks.

Anyhow I cut two 100mm x 1.2m strips first, then cut the 2.2m x 1.2m into two 2.2m x 0.6m panels. Then cut one panel into two 1.1m x 0.6m panels (sides) and cut the other panel into one 1.1m x 0.6m panel (floor) and two 0.55m x 0.6m panels (ends). I turned the two 0.55m x 0.6m panels on their side so are now 0.6m wide and 0.55m high (the sides remain 0.6m high and will explain in a moment). I cut the slots in the sides and ends with the ends cut to slide down onto the sides which creates a 5cm gap to the ground. I took the floor panel and cut three peices from each side, the pieces are 5cm deep and lengths were not measured/important but the aim is to be left with two protruding parts on each side of the floor. Then on the sides I 5cm from the bottom of the side and measured the width of the protruding parts.... then cut a slot in the side for each protruding part, the result is a floor raised off the ground by 5cm when assembled; floor slides into slots on sides, ends slide down on to sides. Ends can be slide off to clean out the brooder if needed. Everything can be flat packed.

Next I cut two 100mm x 0.6m strips from one side, this creates a window on one side. I used the 1.2m strips and 0.6m strips to create a box frame (screwed together), stretched chicken wire over the box, stapled in place, stretched chicken wire over the side window and staple in place, took 4 of the offcuts from creating the floor protrusions and screwed them on top of the chicken wire as cross/corner braces in the corners of the box frame. The box frame slides over the top with the cross/corner braces resting on the brooder box. This part does not collapse.

What would I change;
- maybe make the 100m x 1.2m strips smaller (maybe 50mm) as 100mm seems more than needed though 50mm may make it to small and not as sturdy.
- consider the placement of the side window, I put it in the center and the huddle box I made covers part of the window...which if you want the huddle box to be away from drafts then the window does not help.

 

[pibb]

Use osb and some 2x2s to screw them together with some sheetrock screws. That is about as cheap as you can get and it is simple to break it down. It doesn't take expensive decking screws and wood to contain chicks.

I use osb and a ohio brooder in a metal shed. My brooder doesnt have a top but I don't really mind if they fly out which is occasionally when they get 3 or 4 weeks old. They always seem to find their way back in. The only complaint I have is the metal shed can get hot in the late spring and summer when the sun hits it and its hard to cool it down.

 

[archeryrob]

I was thinking along that like as Pibb. OSD and ripped 2' wide and 8' Long, with 4' x 2' sides. Then make a top to go on it with chicken wire and I can lay wood or a blanket over It to reduce heat loss. Then maybe make a 22" x 22" or there about Ohio Brooder to sit on one end. The birds come out to eat and drink. I'll be putting my bulbs to be run by a inkbird temp controller. It will switch the bulbs on and off as the temp in the brooder needs. Close residual heat will remain in the rest of the brooder and they can still get air. I can turn the brooder light teme down 5° every week as the birds get old.

 

[archeryrob]

Ok, I've been quiet only because I built it. It is an Ohio brooder 24" x 40" automatically temperature controlled that sits in side of the brooder. It has a night light in it and two 100w reptile heater bulbs in it to provide the heat. An Inkbird unit controls the heater bulbs and the temp sensor is on the middle stick hanging and not in the picture. More pictures, directions and sizes are and all to follow with a blog post on how I made it. With this I can brood chicks in late winter in the garage until big enough to go into the coops.

The top was solid and to be insulated with wood chips. Then I got “how do we see the chickies?” So I added two windows in the roof hatch. See the bottom pic

Here is the brooder. These doors screw to the center 2x4 and allow access. I have a divider in it now as why I don’t have doors on the far side. If they stayed in here when it’s cold I would open it up.

The Ohio brooder is inside against the closest wall. The brooder is 2’ tall 4’ wide and 8’ long and split in half right now

Up for service and maintenance.

 

[pibb]

I don't understand the windows. Are the windows open? That would allow the heat out and defeat the purpose of being an ohio brooder.