Making a stacking brooder

[JacinLarkwell]

I'm planning on making a stackable brooder so I can have seperate breeds without mixing them.

These are the shelves I'm looking at. I'm getting 4 and having two pushed together to make 2 double deep ones.

Here are my ideas:

(The tiny drawn squares are hardware cloth for ventiliation, the scribbled parts are wood and the clear is plexiglass.)

I was thinking wood for the floors too? But I don't know if that would be slippery if they move shavings off of parts

 

[NatJ]

I'm planning on making a stackable brooder so I can have seperate breeds without mixing them....
(The tiny drawn squares are hardware cloth for ventiliation, the scribbled parts are wood and the clear is plexiglass.)

Where would you be using this brooder?
If it's indoors, you may want more mesh for ventilation, and less wood and plexiglass.
Or are the solid materials because you're trying to contain wood shavings, so they don't get scratched out?
If it were me, I might try to surround the bottom half of each level with solid materials, and the top half of each level with hardware cloth for ventilation.

I'm not finding doors in that sketch. Make sure you can easily reach all parts of the brooder. You will need to reach the one sick chick that hides in a back corner, the healthy chicks who run and hide when it's time to move them out, and of course you will need to be able to clean it all at some point. Just being able to open one entire side to rake out the bedding would be much nicer than trying to use a scoop through a small door.

I was thinking wood for the floors too? But I don't know if that would be slippery if they move shavings off of parts

That probably depends on the wood, because some (like unfinished plywood) are less slippery than others. Any wood should be fine once it gets a nice layer of chicken poop for traction

What kind of brooder floor have you used until now? You could compare the proposed wood with what you've used before, to see if it's more or less slippery.

I'm guessing you already checked whether the amount of wood will make it heavier than the shelves are meant to support.

Overall, I think it's a good idea. I look forward to seeing the finished result!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Where would you be using this brooder?
If it's indoors, you may want more mesh for ventilation, and less wood and plexiglass.
Or are the solid materials because you're trying to contain wood shavings, so they don't get scratched out?
If it were me, I might try to surround the bottom half of each level with solid materials, and the top half of each level with hardware cloth for ventilation.

I'm not finding doors in that sketch. Make sure you can easily reach all parts of the brooder. You will need to reach the one sick chick that hides in a back corner, the healthy chicks who run and hide when it's time to move them out, and of course you will need to be able to clean it all at some point. Just being able to open one entire side to rake out the bedding would be much nicer than trying to use a scoop through a small door.



That probably depends on the wood, because some (like unfinished plywood) are less slippery than others. Any wood should be fine once it gets a nice layer of chicken poop for traction

What kind of brooder floor have you used until now? You could compare the proposed wood with what you've used before, to see if it's more or less slippery.

I'm guessing you already checked whether the amount of wood will make it heavier than the shelves are meant to support.

Overall, I think it's a good idea. I look forward to seeing the finished result!

I'm planning in indoors and wanted the solid materials to keep shavings and heat in. I wanted to use those powerless heaters for brooding since I can't have electricity where I wanted to put the brooders.

Is it better to have the wire at the top? I figured on the bottom would help with dust.

The plexiglass is the door. I'm planning on using hinges and a latch to open and secure it.

I've used a big metal tub for brooding until now but there was always shavings for the chicks since my heat lamp would make the surface too hot

 

[NatJ]

I'm planning in indoors and wanted the solid materials to keep shavings and heat in. I wanted to use those powerless heaters for brooding since I can't have electricity where I wanted to put the brooders.

That makes perfect sense. I had assumed you were going to use a heat lamp or something similar for heat--which would easily get too hot.

Is it better to have the wire at the top? I figured on the bottom would help with dust.

That's also a good thought.

Because I assumed a heat lamp, I also assumed that it woud easily get too hot inside if it were all closed up. Top ventilation is good for getting rid of excess heat, and for keeping drafts from blowing directly on the chicks.

For the way you intend to use it, you might be right about where to put it--I really do not know.

The plexiglass is the door. I'm planning on using hinges and a latch to open and secure it.

That sounds like a good way to do it.

I've used a big metal tub for brooding until now but there was always shavings for the chicks since my heat lamp would make the surface too hot

I would think a metal tub would be at least as slippery as wood, so if the tub is fine with shavings, the wood will probably also be fine with shavings. The depth of the shavings might make some difference, because when it's deeper they are less able to scratch any particular place bare.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Awesome thanks for the advice

 

[NatJ]

Awesome thanks for the advice

I've found that asking people to explain their ideas, or having to explain my own ideas, is often helpful for double-checking what things make sense and what things don't