Do I buy an all inclusive brooder or?

[CroneWild]

Get a dog crate and wrap it in hardware cloth. That way worked best for me. I also have the heating pad you are looking at. Actually I have the largest one too. I could post comparison pics If you would like

I would love to see those pics! I got the cover for it to

 

[Ridgerunner]

My husband has accepted this will be a regular thing so now building a 3 x 12 3 foot tall addition along the front side for brooding, which can be divided into 3 for medical/timeout needs.

Great, I love the flexibility.

If the floor is elevated you can put a wire floor in one or more of those sections and have a broody buster as well as for medical/behavioral reasons. My permanent 3' x 6' brooder has 1/2" hardware floor and is up off of the coop floor. The poop falls through until the chicks are maybe 12 weeks old so it stays really clean and dry with chicks. With adults you have to clean poop, it won't all go through.

In winter I put a piece of plywood under the heat lamp to give them good wind protection from underneath and to retain some heat better. I just dump the poop off of that. And I hang plastic to stop breezes. In summer I do less.

Some (not all, but some) wire mesh can have sharp points on it that can tear up the feet. Check before you install it. All those points should be on the same side so if your wire has it point that side down.

I'll include a couple of photos so you can see what I'm talking about.

 

[Kurczaklover]

Great, I love the flexibility.

If the floor is elevated you can put a wire floor in one or more of those sections and have a broody buster as well as for medical/behavioral reasons. My permanent 3' x 6' brooder has 1/2" hardware floor and is up off of the coop floor. The poop falls through until the chicks are maybe 12 weeks old so it stays really clean and dry with chicks. With adults you have to clean poop, it won't all go through.

In winter I put a piece of plywood under the heat lamp to give them good wind protection from underneath and to retain some heat better. I just dump the poop off of that. And I hang plastic to stop breezes. In summer I do less.

Some (not all, but some) wire mesh can have sharp points on it that can tear up the feet. Check before you install it. All those points should be on the same side so if your wire has it point that side down.

I'll include a couple of photos so you can see what I'm talking about.

View attachment 2951479

View attachment 2951481

The intention is to put it in front of the coop pictured below, in the space between door into coop on right, door into run on left. I love the idea of putting it 2 feet off the ground with hinged tin roof. Now rethinking, 3'x10'x2'. 12'tin to give nice overhang. Couple of clear dollar tree shower curtains can be anchored with scrap 2x4 when it needs to be draft free. But the question remains is there a workable way to put a small entry point into the run for the babies? If I put a ramp into it, can young chicks still make it in fast enough if they need to escape a big girl? I do like the idea if them integrating naturally when they are ready. The toy box house will go inside on the far left.

 

[Ridgerunner]

But the question remains is there a workable way to put a small entry point into the run for the babies? If I put a ramp into it, can young chicks still make it in fast enough if they need to escape a big girl?

I personally don't believe in ramps that much except for chickens that can't fly, like Silkies, or in special cases. Ramps are a tool that have their place. Many people would be surprised at how well a two-week-old chick can fly, especially when they are motivated. There is a reason wing feathers come in first.

I can understand you being uneasy and that run looks pretty small for integrating. My first thought was to build a wire "box" at the base of the ramp that encompasses the entire ramp and put your entry hole in that box at ground level. But that reduces run space. In your situation I'd build a run extension next to that run with a human door between the two that you can eave open when they are integrated. You will need access to that area. Put your entry hole in that fence also. Have your brooder open into that. Essentially you are building a separate run for that brooder that can be incorporated into your main run after they are integrated.

 

[Kurczaklover]

I personally don't believe in ramps that much except for chickens that can't fly, like Silkies, or in special cases. Ramps are a tool that have their place. Many people would be surprised at how well a two-week-old chick can fly, especially when they are motivated. There is a reason wing feathers come in first.

I can understand you being uneasy and that run looks pretty small for integrating. My first thought was to build a wire "box" at the base of the ramp that encompasses the entire ramp and put your entry hole in that box at ground level. But that reduces run space. In your situation I'd build a run extension next to that run with a human door between the two that you can eave open when they are integrated. You will need access to that area. Put your entry hole in that fence also. Have your brooder open into that. Essentially you are building a separate run for that brooder that can be incorporated into your main run after they are integrated.

The run is over 400 sq feet, and presently the flock only spends about the first hour of the day in it, they have 2 acres they free range in. You have given me food for thought, and I so appreciate it. I have 4 months to plan and execute, so back to the drawing board!

 

[chfriedmam]

Ok so this is the "all inclusive brooder" I have been checking,
brooder cage up to 23 at 5 weeks

I considered this hot plate that fit's up to 30 Hotplate up to 30 chicks If I do the outdoor thing.

I'm half way in my coop build (it needs one more weekend) and planing to finish the run around it before the chicks are home, I'm worried about the temperature since I'm in the mountains in high desert (when I say average I mean annually for April) so lows in the mid 20 at night and up to 70F in the warmest of the afternoon.

Honestly I don't want to have a lot of trouble with the chicks and I will spend money to avoid trouble when possible.

oh don't waste money on that. waste that money on your coop brood chicks in coop or in a box in the garage or something.

Ok so this is the "all inclusive brooder" I have been checking,
brooder cage up to 23 at 5 weeks

I considered this hot plate that fit's up to 30 Hotplate up to 30 chicks If I do the outdoor thing.

I'm half way in my coop build (it needs one more weekend) and planing to finish the run around it before the chicks are home, I'm worried about the temperature since I'm in the mountains in high desert (when I say average I mean annually for April) so lows in the mid 20 at night and up to 70F in the warmest of the afternoon.

Honestly I don't want to have a lot of trouble with the chicks and I will spend money to avoid trouble when possible.

I think that industrial looking brooder will be a lot of work to clean. You could get the hot plate, a feeder, and a waterer and brood in a cardboard box/enclosure within your coop or garage. I'm actually using a crib this year, but using a box for the walls and another broken down box for the base was so easy in the past because I could throw it out and set down a new one when I cleaned bc it was so cheap. The hotplates work great and I notice this one says nothing about it having to be at least 50 degrees in the room like the Brinsea one does...

 

[Mamatomany123]

Oh man, we just built this yesterday in under an hr. It cost the $15 for the hardware cloth. I'm making a heat cave with a heating pad. They are only in it so long. No way would I spend al of that money.