I need brooder ideas ....

[WestKnollAmy]

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I may use plywood on the sides but not in the floor. I have found some nasty bacteria growing (cultures and microscope) in less then 24 hours and I prefer to keep as much of them off shavings the first 4 weeks as possible. I have lost numerous chicks to shavings no matter what kind I use. Right now I use nylon feed bags from the grain mill down the road and those work great. I can change them out twice a day and hose them off, spray down with Oxine and use again. But I prefer to use wire the first few weeks if I can. I would put slide out trays below them to be able to clean every day.
However, I do love the idea of a 6 ft long, 4 ft wide and about 2 ft high. About 6 of those would be nice.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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Brooding out 300 chicks a month sometimes does not allow me to use dog crates and bunny cages. I fill those up way too fast and in 3 weeks my wee ones are too big to be comfortable in them.

I use clear plastic tubs from Walmart but at 2 weeks old they are flying out of those and I can not cover them because they get way too hot and the bacteria grows way too fast. Even 30 chicks can only stay in them for the first week before they have outgrown them. Although I do have a few of the Christmas tree ones that are 4' long. Still, at 3 weeks they are outa those things to play on the floor and then the more grown up chicks chase them down and torture them.

Thanks for the compliment on my last sig line. I took it from the Dan Brown book "The DaVinci Code" ....or it was the first one "Devils and Angels", can't remember. But it is a great saying!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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Hmmmmm, I live in the south. Everyone keeps the old fridges and freezers on their porches!

It would be a neat idea, great for cleaning but they would take too much space and my guys might could stay in them for a few weeks before they would need to be out of them and onto another pen. They grow so quickly and that is my problem. They get BIG. Jersey Giant and Langshans chicks take a lot of room but still need to be kept warm.

I know I probably should cut back on hatching or ordering chicks but I have the business. I just don't like to sell chicks too quickly and have people lose them because they were not able to handle the care of youngsters. Not to mention I sell out a lot of grown birds and like to have plenty grown up for others to be able to purchase.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

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Do you make them, or scrounge from somewhere (and if so, where)?

I've got some chicks hatching right now and I love it!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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I have a 6' metal sheep water trough and when I cover it the chicks really get sick. No air circulation to amount to much. I do try to cover just the middle and that seems to help but once they are 4 weeks old they have to be out of it or they are flying out. Little babies that age need to stretch their wings and get a bit of running and flying in to be healthy.

I like the pegboard idea. Air circulation and yet keeping warm air in, too. Yes, I think I will work with some peg board! Thank you for that idea. Even a small baby duck pen would be good to make with peg board and covering the sheep trough with peg board would be a good idea. I like it!

I have used big cardboard boxes but they last only about a week and then I have to change them. With about 6-8 brooders running that is a lot of boxes and my plywood floor under the boxes winds up very wet and I use a lot of Oxine to clean that up.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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Cute but way too small and I don't like a plywood floor. They need a lot of air circulation without drafts and that just doesn't have it.

The plastic tubs are great for cleaning. Plywood harbors mites and mold and bacteria. Believe me, I have raised numerous chicks and have about run out of ideas to make it easy to clean every day and allow room for them all to grow up.

I can't put my chicks out into general population as I am running about 50 hens and 4 roos in the free range flock right now. By summer I will have about 150. Chicks get run over or run out when put into there, though I have done it with extra roo chicks plenty. If they don't make it then I feel I have no loss but usually the roo chicks do great and any pullets are harassed horribly. They never grow up too vigorous when left to grow there.

I certainly appreciate all the ideas. You are are giving me plenty of food for thought and I don't mean to sound like I am shooting down a lot of great ideas but just would like you all to know why some stuff isn't going to work for the high volume of chicks I have.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I've got a couple... here's some ideas.

Broody mom box: Wire mesh on floor, top and door can be opened:

Brooder:

I've also used huge cardboard boxes which are easy to piggy back onto each other and expand. My biggest issue with them was a lack of top. Next time I'll get netting.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Nadine, I'm in the same boat as you. There is not enough room and I am looking for larger brooders as well. I have soooooooo many small - medium size brooders but then what to do when they start growing and need to go into an adolescent area until they are old enough to go with the rest of the flock. My hens hatched out almost 150 chicks and it was a nightmare. I'm working on a solution so that this doesn't happen again. You almost need a barn to section off areas. That is how close I am to having one built. It's frustrating.

 

[StevenW.]

I need some ideas for a brooder so I'm going to be watching this thread.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

I like the idea of a box maze. Would use the boxes (aftewards, chicken poo and all) in my garden. Connect together and they can go to the other "rooms" for food, exercise, play, etc.

We used boxes last year, and grew potatoes in them later. Easy to punch holes in them for dowel rods ("roosts").

I have a lot of chicks coming. Well, for me, a lot. 4 have hatched today with hopefully another 8 (all from my own eggs) then I've ordered 25 that will be here next week, and in mid-march, about 50. Plus, as soon as any of my girls go broody, I'll be setting eggs under her/them.

Thanks! This was getting expensive!