Velmas
In the Brooder
Hello! Today i am here not to ask questions, but finally present something to this community! I have put together an outdoor brooder setup for my pair of Pekins today, which are approximately 4.5 and 3.5 weeks old. I have been stuck with the problem of needing a larger brooder setup in my household, and i have very little extra space and could not feasibly create an environment for the ducks that was indoors, but also comfortable and large enough for them without being an issue for all 7 humans that live here. So, i settled on an outdoor brooder on my patio.
I essentially just repurposed an old dog house i had built some 7 odd years ago, which actually ended up never being used by any animal other than creepie crawlies like black widows. Its made from 1/2 inch plywood, a 2x4 frame and deck screws. I took then screws out of the top piece of plywood in order to have a removable ceiling, but just kept the waterproofing tarp in place ontop. The inside never gets wet(tons of spiders were living in the old blanket i had stuffed in there for the dog that was meant to use it 7 years ago) and it stays at a nice and toasty 85 degrees on the hot end and 70 degrees by the opening. I used an old piece of plywood to block most of the doorway then placed a grate from a small patio firepit we never used since i built an inground yardpit and fire barrel. The grate also keeps any neighborhood cats out, which will really be the only predator that can get them.
So, what do you guys think of this? How can it be improved, and what age will i need to move on to something bigger, or can this be used throughout their lifetime? (with water and foodbowl relocated of course) I plan on creating an actual door for the front and hinging the top here soon to make it a little less makeshift. Im really hoping that this setup will be adequate for them at this age, and im willing to do anything to make it suitable as an indoor setup will be intense to get together
Thank you for reading and any advice given!
I essentially just repurposed an old dog house i had built some 7 odd years ago, which actually ended up never being used by any animal other than creepie crawlies like black widows. Its made from 1/2 inch plywood, a 2x4 frame and deck screws. I took then screws out of the top piece of plywood in order to have a removable ceiling, but just kept the waterproofing tarp in place ontop. The inside never gets wet(tons of spiders were living in the old blanket i had stuffed in there for the dog that was meant to use it 7 years ago) and it stays at a nice and toasty 85 degrees on the hot end and 70 degrees by the opening. I used an old piece of plywood to block most of the doorway then placed a grate from a small patio firepit we never used since i built an inground yardpit and fire barrel. The grate also keeps any neighborhood cats out, which will really be the only predator that can get them.
So, what do you guys think of this? How can it be improved, and what age will i need to move on to something bigger, or can this be used throughout their lifetime? (with water and foodbowl relocated of course) I plan on creating an actual door for the front and hinging the top here soon to make it a little less makeshift. Im really hoping that this setup will be adequate for them at this age, and im willing to do anything to make it suitable as an indoor setup will be intense to get together
Thank you for reading and any advice given!
