Garden dump cart brooder

[gtaus]

I have 10 chicks arriving at the end of the month. I have been considering brooder options. I watched an interesting YouTube video with someone using his garden cart as a temporary brooder. All he had to do was to build a wooden top frame with hardware cloth to keep the chicks inside the cart. Bonus, the wire frame top can later be used as a soil sifter for composting into the garden cart!

I have 3 garden dump carts that attach to the riding mower and I thinking about using my largest cart as a temporary brooder. It is 48"X30" and is 12" tall on the sides. I think that should be big enough for a few weeks, but am wondering if I should plan on adding some boards to make the sides taller as the chicks grow? The wooden frame with 1/4" hardware cloth will add another 4" to the sides, for a total of 16" tall to start.

Also, I live in northern Minnesota and have been told that I should plan on keeping the chicks in a brooder and warm at nights until almost June, which would make the chicks about 5-6 weeks old before I would move them outside. Given the dimensions of my garden cart, can I use this brooder for 10 chicks for 5-6 weeks? Or do I need to plan on making a temporary pen before the transition outside?

At what age do I not have to worry about the chicks freezing when the night time temps drop down into the 40F range?

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You can add something on the top like old screens to keep them in or some fencing.

It should be big enough. I generally move my chicks out when they are acclimated to the ambient temperatures.

I also take my chicks out in a temporary pen on my yard when days are warmer. Your chicks should be fully feathered before going out to 40 degrees.

It should warm up fairly quickly in the next month, it usually does. You can always run a heat lamp if necessary in the coop to get them acclimated.

I now always get my chicks at the end of May because I don't need extra heat generally past the first few weeks and my chicks can go out in the big shed by 4 weeks without extra heat here.

 

[gtaus]

Thanks for the reply.

You can add something on the top like old screens to keep them in or some fencing.

Good idea. I could just make a simple box frame and put wire on it, then the original framed wire with hardware cloth on top again.

I now always get my chicks at the end of May because I don't need extra heat generally past the first few weeks and my chicks can go out in the big shed by 4 weeks without extra heat here.

Well, I had the same thought also about waiting until end of May to get the chicks. However, since I am getting laying hens, I wanted to get them a month earlier in hopes that they might start laying in the fall. From what I have learned since then, it appears I may not get any eggs until next spring anyway. Still, I am anxious to get the chicks.

If I already had chickens in the coop, I think I would just wait longer at the end of May when the nights are not as cold and the heat requirements for new chicks would be minimal. That would be my plan for next year. Or, if I get a rooster by accident with my hens, maybe I'll see if I can get a broody hen to hatch out some chicks on her own.

 

[wyoDreamer]

My chicks love to jump up on the little roosts I put in their brooder when they are about 2 weeks old. At 4 weeks they were jumping up on the windowsill to look outside...
I put their brooder in an old stall in the barn. I start chicks out with a Mama Heating Pad right out in the barn.

 

[gtaus]

My chicks love to jump up on the little roosts I put in their brooder when they are about 2 weeks old.....

Yes, I plan on making a few little roosts from fallen tree branches and putting them in the brooder.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thanks for the reply.



Good idea. I could just make a simple box frame and put wire on it, then the original framed wire with hardware cloth on top again.



Well, I had the same thought also about waiting until end of May to get the chicks. However, since I am getting laying hens, I wanted to get them a month earlier in hopes that they might start laying in the fall. From what I have learned since then, it appears I may not get any eggs until next spring anyway. Still, I am anxious to get the chicks.

If I already had chickens in the coop, I think I would just wait longer at the end of May when the nights are not as cold and the heat requirements for new chicks would be minimal. That would be my plan for next year. Or, if I get a rooster by accident with my hens, maybe I'll see if I can get a broody hen to hatch out some chicks on her own.

My end of May hatched pullets usually begin laying November to February. Exactly when most of my older hens have quit for the winter. You should get eggs in late fall and have them laying at a decreased rate throughout winter depending on breeds.

 

[gtaus]

...You should get eggs in late fall and have them laying at a decreased rate throughout winter depending on breeds.

That is encouraging. Thanks.

I ordered 10 different breeds with expected start of laying anywhere from 4-6 months. It will be interesting to find out which hens first lay and to find out which breeds lay better in the winter for my location.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That is encouraging. Thanks.

I ordered 10 different breeds with expected start of laying anywhere from 4-6 months. It will be interesting to find out which hens first lay and to find out which breeds lay better in the winter for my location.

Generally I tack 1-2 months on that expected start date for fall maturing pullets. I like variety too.

 

[aart]

If I already had chickens in the coop, I think I would just wait longer at the end of May when the nights are not as cold and the heat requirements for new chicks would be minimal.

Do you already have the coop?
Does it have power in it?
(You may want to have power to keep water thawed anyway)
If so, forget the cart... just brood them in the coop!

 

[gtaus]

Do you already have the coop? Does it have power in it? (You may want to have power to keep water thawed anyway) If so, forget the cart... just brood them in the coop!

No coop yet. Plan on brooding the chicks in my attached, but not heated, garage. Still, about 20F warmer than outside. Should be about 60F in the garage overnight when I do get the chicks. Expect to use brooding lamps for 4-5 weeks.

Have not decided on a chicken coop plan yet. I have an old boat trailer that would fit up to a 6X12 coop, but doubt I need one that big for only 10 birds. Cannot get to my other utility trailer as it is buried under snow (still on 10 April 2019), but hope to get it out in the next week or two. Then I can go and get the lumber I need for anything I build. Also, have looked at some locally built chicken coops that are an option. Main consideration for me is to have the coop portable enough to have it in the backyard during most of the year and then move it up to the garage for the winter for better access to electricity and water.

I like the idea of using the garden dump cart as a brooder because I could use the top hardware cloth frame for sifting compost the rest of the year. I had planned on building a new sifter this year anyway, so it's a two-fer in my case. Also, when I clean out the brooding bedding, I can just hook up the cart to the mower and dump it out in the garden.

If I had a coop, I would have used that instead. I have been thinking about that for next year and am looking at ways to divide any coop I build into two sections, one for the adult hens and the other for brooding some chicks.