Our family has been researching chicken rearing over the winter and decided to get some chickens for laying this spring. We prepared a section of our yard for their run, began building the coop and thought about what breeds we wanted, but we neglected to really think about preparing a brooder far too long.
When the day came to come pick up our chicks this week, I was thrown into a bit of a panic. I had a warming light ready and feed/ water containers so I figured I would just transform a large storage bin into a brooder. Once we got our first 6 chicks loaded in though, I realized how limited their space was once water and food was provided for.... and we had planned on getting some more chicks later in the week!!
What followed was some scrambling through our garage and storage shed... and I must say, I am quite pleased with what came about. It is functional, provides great space and uses some things that were destined for the dump!
I am hoping to hear any suggestions for making our brooder better and hope this might inspire someone struggling to come up with cheap housing for their flock
We are done having children and this pack-n-play helped us so much during those years that we stored it away and didn't trash it. It was a bit dingy from storage and probably wan't in condition for a baby any longer, but the square footage was great for our purposes! We got some old marketing signs from a gas station (think the soda and cigarette signs they hang outside) and cut them to line the floor and 3 walls (with one for a lid as well). Put a curtain rod across the back corner to hang the warmer from and added bedding! What do you think? *at night we drape a blanket over this screened side as well to keep it dark (we use an infrared bulb at night) and seal in the warmth.
A view of the flock through the screen
When the day came to come pick up our chicks this week, I was thrown into a bit of a panic. I had a warming light ready and feed/ water containers so I figured I would just transform a large storage bin into a brooder. Once we got our first 6 chicks loaded in though, I realized how limited their space was once water and food was provided for.... and we had planned on getting some more chicks later in the week!!
What followed was some scrambling through our garage and storage shed... and I must say, I am quite pleased with what came about. It is functional, provides great space and uses some things that were destined for the dump!
I am hoping to hear any suggestions for making our brooder better and hope this might inspire someone struggling to come up with cheap housing for their flock
We are done having children and this pack-n-play helped us so much during those years that we stored it away and didn't trash it. It was a bit dingy from storage and probably wan't in condition for a baby any longer, but the square footage was great for our purposes! We got some old marketing signs from a gas station (think the soda and cigarette signs they hang outside) and cut them to line the floor and 3 walls (with one for a lid as well). Put a curtain rod across the back corner to hang the warmer from and added bedding! What do you think? *at night we drape a blanket over this screened side as well to keep it dark (we use an infrared bulb at night) and seal in the warmth.
A view of the flock through the screen
