- Dec 30, 2013
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Hi everyone!
I wanted to post some information about my brooder in case it might help someone. It can be used for any birds, but I specifically designed it for coturnix quail.
It is 4ft x 3ft x 2ft. The walls are made with a single sheet of OSB cut to 4x3, 4x3, 3x2, and 3x2. The corner and base frame is made of 2x2s. The main framing stops a few inches off ground level to allow for a waste tray, and there is additional framing at ground level that supports the waste tray.
The waste tray is made of a sheet of plywood with 1x2s around the edges to keep it rigid. I coated it with polyurethane to make it more water resistant. I put a piece of OSB on the end of the tray so that when the tray is in place there is no draft.
The wire is 1/2 inch hardware cloth and is on the underside of the framing (this is important as you'll see).
I mounted a stand on the side of the brooder for my lamp. I raise the lamp as the weeks go by.
I put 1x2s up the sides in the middle of the brooder. I attach a piece of plywood as a divider when I need to. It is useful for raising different groups of birds and also for moving birds from one side to another during weigh-ins and health checks.
I built frames with 1/4 inch hardware cloth that fit into the bottom when the quail are just hatched. This is why the 1/2 inch cloth is on the bottom of the framing. Once the quail are big enough, I remove the frames and move them onto the 1/2 inch wire, which allows waste to fall easier.
I built a lid that I put on at about 1.5 weeks when the birds start to feather out and flap.
I wanted to post some information about my brooder in case it might help someone. It can be used for any birds, but I specifically designed it for coturnix quail.
It is 4ft x 3ft x 2ft. The walls are made with a single sheet of OSB cut to 4x3, 4x3, 3x2, and 3x2. The corner and base frame is made of 2x2s. The main framing stops a few inches off ground level to allow for a waste tray, and there is additional framing at ground level that supports the waste tray.
The waste tray is made of a sheet of plywood with 1x2s around the edges to keep it rigid. I coated it with polyurethane to make it more water resistant. I put a piece of OSB on the end of the tray so that when the tray is in place there is no draft.
The wire is 1/2 inch hardware cloth and is on the underside of the framing (this is important as you'll see).
I mounted a stand on the side of the brooder for my lamp. I raise the lamp as the weeks go by.
I put 1x2s up the sides in the middle of the brooder. I attach a piece of plywood as a divider when I need to. It is useful for raising different groups of birds and also for moving birds from one side to another during weigh-ins and health checks.
I built frames with 1/4 inch hardware cloth that fit into the bottom when the quail are just hatched. This is why the 1/2 inch cloth is on the bottom of the framing. Once the quail are big enough, I remove the frames and move them onto the 1/2 inch wire, which allows waste to fall easier.
I built a lid that I put on at about 1.5 weeks when the birds start to feather out and flap.
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