Need help with BIGGER brooder suggestions and pics!!!

[Corey NC]

This is what built just for this reason -

Up until about 8 weeksish (It's 4 x 5 and 2ft high) -

Once they're mostly feathered they go here (I think it is about 4 x 8 and the run is 8 x 8ish) -

 

[KrisRose]

I use a refrigerator box on its side. I cut a hole for the light to hang in on the one end. On the other end I cut out a "sky light" and a "window". For these I made a frame of 2x3's with hardware cloth to keep cat out and chicks in. This is the end I also use as a door.
I have 17 chicks in this and as they grew they needed more room (they are in my spare bedroom as it is to cold outside to put in walled off section in coop). So I laid down "painter's paper" which I got at Home Depot. This is paper on one side and plastic on the other. I left it fold in two so there was paper on top and on the bottem against my wood floors. This left two layers of plastic in the middle to protect the floor. I than cut out a mini pop door, maybe 8" x6" , and got a small piece of cardboard so I can block if needed. I then used cardboard to block off a hallway into the room for walking, feed and shavings storage.
As the little barbarians grew they got alot more active and started to tear up the paper when they scatched. So I put down cardboard on top of paper to protect it.
This is not ideal, the dust they can create is unreal, and ay 6 weeks they are so ready to explore the world. However, I never expected that science fair project to be so successful.
I really like Corey's brooder and when it warms up a little I'm am going to build something like it in the coop.

 

[raindrop]

I use a dog x-pen to provide structure, and line the inner bottom 18" with cardboard cut from a big box. I make a mess in the laundry room! We live in a fairly warm climate, so after 4-5 weeks to so they move out the the "brooder room" of the chicken coop and get to run around the coop and attached run.

 

[arlee453]

That's a pic of one of my rubbermaid container brooders. I actually cut out the side of that one too. THe others I just cut the top.

As far as separating them out and then reintroducing - I noticed no issues at all. I'd think as long as you had two large enough groups where you aren't putting just one or two chicks in with a bunch of others you'd be OK. Also, I reintroduced at 5.5 weeks - I'm sure the older they get the worse potential problem you might have.

 

[Brian]

I just went through this with 25 of my own. To be honest, after 2 weeks I sold 9 off, but I totally understand your situation. No rubbermaid container or cardboard box will do, nor is it fair to the young chicks who need to literally stretch their wings and run a bit. Also, after a couple of weeks with 25 chicks, I know how freakin' dusty they can make things. So...I am hear to give you the answer to your dilemma. Are you ready?

You've got a couple of choices. I did both of these:
Firstly, I built a half-way house. I took our patio dining table, moved it into the garage, and then took blue plastic tarp and draped it over the entire table top, and three sides. I ducked taped it to the floor in a few spots. I then put several layers of cardboard (the old cardboard that made up the walls of the first brooder which I kept in the living room) on the floor, so the chicks wouldn't have a non-insulated floor. Over that I draped plastic, and over that a deep bed of straw. On the open side, I put some chicken wire. I used strong spring grips to hold it in place. Inside this brooder were two lamps for heat. On top of the table I placed several blankets to act as ceiling insulation. So...at two weeks, I moved my 16 chicks out into this half-way house. It was in the garage, and I could readily check on them. Of course I was scared that it would be too cold (our nights regularly hitting 32 degrees here in Southern Oregon). But, they were fine. On night one, I got up at 2am to check on them...all were sleeping comfortably. In short, I had created a nice warm environment where the heat was retained. Oh...one more thing: that open chicken wire end wall, I'd drape a couple of towels over that at night, to keep the heat in there too. You can adjust these to regulate heat.

Secondly, after two weeks in the half-way house, I moved them all into their adult coop (see pic link at bottom). Now, all I did here was to take those same pieces of cardboard on the floor, and recycle them one more time. This time, I made an area inside the coop where I could trap in the heat with the cardboard. So, I duct taped the cardboard to form three walls. I placed it underneath what will become the girls roost boards, and on those boards, I hung the two heat lamps. Over the roost boards I put the "ceiling" cardboard. Viola, another micro climate where you can control the temp.

I know we worry that our little chicks are too young and frail to go out in a garage or coop. The truth is, you can make that external brooder environment any temperature you want! It just takes proper heat lamps. It is imperative that your test first with a thermometer! Give them more heat than they need, and a place for the excess heat to escape (as well as the girls to move away from it) and they will wind up placing themselves in their own comfort zone. So, don't forget, the chicks need room to move away from the heat too. I see some pics of these rubbermaid brooders where I fear the chicks will become little rotisserie chickens before their time!

Good luck. I hope this helps.

Brian

 

[mhoward92]

Brian: Thank you so much for your long detailed post. im glad you know what im talking about (not saying everyone else does not) but thank you for the advice. I like the coop as well. very nice building job.

Everyone: you are all such a nice group of people. thank you for reading this post and giving me ideas. ill will deffinately take into consideration what all of you said.

--Thanks,


Mitch