I need brooder ideas ....

[tigercreek]

I didn't read all the posts,and am not cold weather experienced, but why not consider heating a small area of you tractor? Move 3 week old chicks from the stall into their new tractor and just run an extension cord out there?? Maybe cover the sides or put a smaller box inside? ...stan

 

[kenh2010]

We recently built ours out of a sheet of sheetrock and duct tape - sounds hokey but so far it's been clean, warm and sturdy. Ours is 3' x 4' and 23" high. Just cut the sheet into four 23" pieces across the length of the sheet. Duct taped all the edges to keep them from disintegrating, taped the four corners together then taped all around the top and bottom. Placed wire stapled to a wood frame on the top to keep the dog and cat out. Put plastic on the floor and a good layer of woodchips with crumpled and flattened newspaper on top. Heat lamp above on a chain so that it's adjustable. Everything is working GREAT for our first attempt. The chicks all seem content and stay warm. We built a little "balance beam" to act as a perch and two have already learned how to perch on it and they're only 3 days old. We're having a blast! Hope this simple, disposable, inexpensive system might help someone. We've been happy with it.

Ken

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Ahhh, Stan. You should read all my posts. Your idea may work for some but I hatch every week (30-60 chicks)and needed ideas for very large brooders that go through a chick getting to several months old.

I knew I should have put something in the topic line like "big enough for several hundred chicks". For the past 8 months I have been trying to come up with ideas where I can move all these chicks around. I have the room but not the ideas to move them to different brooders as they grow.

I have gotten some great ideas on here though!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
Yea, I'm waiting to see what you come up with as well. I know that it will be awesome.

 

[Jake Levi]

Totes from walmart , dollar store etc work great for a dozen or two, I use these and have a larger one made from ply, one sheet of 4by 10 1/2 " , sawed in half length wise, and two long pcs cut to 8' and 2' length, screw together to a box, put shavings in bottom and heat lamp over one end in middle, put wire over top to keep them in and lamp on top, works best to have the wire in two pcs so can be lifted off one end at a time. A number of these would be inexpensive.

 

[Coopa Cabana]

Quote:
You can always edit your topic title.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I try not to use plywood but plastic totes are good.
Easy to clean, disinfect and keep mites and lice out.
Someone has listed plastic covering for use over the plywood though. Still, not for me since my chicks love to pick and peck and eat too much! It's not like mine ever have an empty feeder or dirt clods with some grass or anything else for pecking. But they love the stuff that is bad for them. Kinda like me and chocolate cake!

And I do not use shavings until they are 4 weeks old. A lot of cleaning, yes, but I do not lose as many chicks as I used to.


Edit the title?

But then not as many people would respond. As I have been reminded from fellow chick raisers, most folks on this forum are backyard enthusiasts and never have a need to build such large or permanent structures. Which is fine because I take their ideas and just make them larger. I never know when I may miss that opportunity.

 

[Coopa Cabana]

Sorry Amy - I had only mentioned it in follow-up to what you had said.

I'm just trying to follow as many brooder threads as I can to get ideas for large "staggered" brooders. One that will accomodate the needs of chicks hatching every week until they can move to grow-out pens.

 

[donrae]

I don't brood many but I use galvanized steel troughs with hay on the bottom. The troughs are prolly five by two by two? Not sure on the dimensions. I have some expanded metal we use to cover them to keep curious critters out and chickies in, although it's deep enough the chickies can't get out for a while.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Quote:
Oh, no! No offense taken! I was just saying why I hadn't. Great idea from you! I didn't mean to sound defensive! I totally understand. I hope I didn't make you mad!