how to build a brooder

[bama fan]

I would like to know how to build a good brooder that would hold about 100 baby quail

 

[cjeanean]

not sure, but

 

[JJMR794]

Easy Way Is To Get The Big Rubbermaid Type Totes, Put Bedding In Them, Cut The Center Of The Lid Out And Replace With Chicken Wire That's Zip Tied In Place. Just Add Birds, Food, Water, And Set Your Light/ Heat Source On Top Of The Chicken Wire And Your Done! These Are Readily Available At Discount Outlets Such As Family Dollar Store, Dollar General, Big Lots, Etc... In A Great Variance Of Sizes Quite Cheaply. They Can Be Bleached To Kill Off Any Germs Or Sterilized With A Mild Bleach And Water Solution And Are Quite Quick, Cheap, And Easy. Of Course I Dont Think You'd Get 100 Quail In 1, So You'd Have To Break Them Up Into Smaller Groups And Make More That 1 Brooder.

The Other Option Is To Build 1---

100 Quail? Lets Say 8ft Long, 2-3 Ft Wide Should Do It. Now Take 2, 8x4 Ft Sheets Of Plywood, Rip It In Half Long Ways So You End Up With 4- 2x8 Pieces. Here's Your Side Walls.

Take 1 Of The 2x8ft Sections And Cut Your End Caps Off Of It-- 2x2.

2 8ft Long 4x4 Timbers--- Cut Each In Half To Yield 4 Pieces Of 4x4 Timber That Are 4 Ft Long.

Now Assemble All 4 Sides So You End Up With An Open Square Of Plywood That Is 2ft Wide X 2 Ft Deepx 8 Ft Long. Screw The 4x4 Timber Pieces Into Each Corner With The Top End Being Flush With The Top Of Your Open Square. This Is Easiest Done While The Brooder Is Upside Down. Once Complete Line What Will Be The Bottom Or Floor With Single Piece Of 1/4 X1/4 Inch Hardware Cloth. Your Wire Floor Is Now Installed. Now Turn It Right-side Up!

Add The Last 2ftx8ft Piece Of Plywood As A Lid On A Hinge. Your Brooder Box Is Now Built!

Lastly Add Your Lights Or Heat Sources-- This Can Be Done By Cutting Appropriate Size Holes In The Lid And Stapling Chicken Wire Over The Holes--- Set The Lights On Top Of The Chicken Wire And Your In Bussiness, Or You Can Hang Them Inside And Keep Your Lid Solid To Protect The Babies From The Elements--- String A Heavy Wire Across The Top Of The Brooder On The Inside And Use It To Suspend Your Lights From. I Would Recommend A Light At Either End And 1 In The Middle. Place A Water Font And Feed Dish At Either End, Add Quail And Enjoy! Its A Wire Bottom So There's Virtually No Clean Up To The Brooder Itself. If You Want To Dispose Of Droppings Or Collect To Fertilize Just Get Some Of The Afore Mentioned Rubbermaid Totes And Place Them Directly Beneath To Collect The Poo!

Oh Yeah, The Left Over Plywood? Remember That 1/4 Sheet? Sve It And As The Babies Grow And No Longer Need Heat It Can Be Cut Down And Used As Dividers So If You Want To Use Your Brooder As An Early Grow Out Pen, Or Need To Start Seperating Quail From Each Other These Dividers Can Be Used!

 

[bama fan]

Thanks for the info,I didnt think I needed that much room ,but thats why I ask.

 

[millerwb]

Quote:
Mine is not that big but I have not tried it with 100 babies. I could put 100 A&Ms in mine (24"x37"), sine I could move them out in a week or so. I put the 1/4" mesh on mine at first. I found that as the quail got bigger, the poops were hanging on the wire and making a bigger mess. I too the 1/4" off and replaced it with the 1/2" mesh. I cut the 1/4" piece down so that it can fit on the inside of the brooder. Now I can start the quail on the 1/4" and in a week or so as they grow, I can easily change to the 1/2" mesh. Best of both worlds! Mine also has a slide out tray to catch the poops as the brooder in the garage.

 

[bama fan]

Do you put shavings or anything in the bottom,or do you have a problem with a draft on plain wire

 

[kingmt]

 

[millerwb]

Quote:
With an air temp of 95-100 every day this week, I would not be worried about drafts right now. When it cools down in October, I will use a light again.

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
FOR DRAFT CLIMATES YOU CAN 1. STAPLE VISQUEEN OVER THE BOTTOM, OR 2. RAISE THE WIRE FLOOR HIGHER UP INSIDE THE BROODER BODY SO THAT ITS NOT AS DRAFTY

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
SORRY FORGOT TO ADD.... PLAIN WIRE THAT WAY THE POO FALLS RIGHT THRU! LOL