Outdoor Brooder for Meaties - Pics

[danschicks]

Here are some pics of an outdoor brooder I made. It is made entirely out of scraps. The next time I build one I would make some adjustments. At least this will give others some ideas.

The brooder is 8'X8' and about 44" high. It has a small-holed hog-wire skirt inside and out to prevent diggers. It has angled rabbit wire to prevent critters from trying to squeeze under the doors. The sides are hinged and open fully for easy access. I plan to use a deep-litter method. All the wood seams are lined with rabbit wire to prevent gnawing. I use 2- 250 watt heat lamps. Not shown in the pics are the window shades- made of heavy tarp- that I pull down at night to seal in the heat and keep out the weather, as well as peeping coons and foxes. I used two large dumpster lids as a roof. Until I water proof the wood, I will cover with a camo tarp.

You can see how well it fits 50 meaties. They will be more than comfortable until they go in their pasture pens. No smell and no white dust in the garage this year!!! I can also use the brooder for sitting hens, a hospital coop, etc, etc.

 

[Dogfish]

Nicely done. Too wet and cold to do that here. Snow this morning.

 

[becky3086]

Really nice! 84 degrees here today. I doubt I will ever do that many meaties but it give me ideas for a smaller version.

 

[jaku]

Nice design! The idea of keeping the dust out of my garage is SO appealing. So if I'm looking at it correctly, you didn't put a floor in, but you're doing deep litter? How come? Seems like you'd either leave it as just bare grass underneath or put a floor in and cut out the potential predator problem.

 

[danschicks]

Jaku, There are 2 possible reasons why I decided to go with a no-floor outdoor brooder... I am not sure which one played more into the decision.

1.) I tried this concept after reading a lot about the deep litter method, natural composting, drainage, potential versatility, etc. I wanted to see if I could really get a mini-ecosystem of bugs and good bacteria working the litter. I have several other coops that all have floors and it is easy to see they are just walk-in litter boxes that I have to clean. This floor-less model will have rest periods in-between batches to hopefully work its magic. My chicken yards are getting old, literally. I am trying to see if there are ways to do "confinement" that have some more natural conditions and benefits. Along the same lines I am thinking of using pasture pens for my layers, similar to the meaties pens, from March through November. I would coop them only during the winter.

2.) I had nothing to use for the floor. My wife wouldn't let me spend the money to buy materials for a floor. She would not allow meat birds in the garage this year. She is done with the smell and dust.

Of course, the no-floor method lowers the bar on the primordial battle between predator and prey, or should I say, between me, and the local coons and foxes. The first night I had a coon crawling all over it and a fox sniffing around it. With my adrenaline pumping I can proudly declare... I won round one! or perhaps my wife did?

 

[roaminggnome61]

could you please explain the deep litter method to me? I have a meatie pen that's 10'x10'x2', which gets pretty muddy in the spring time. I was thinking about adding sand to the floor, but then I read your deep litter idea, but I do not know what it means.

 

[danschicks]

could you please explain the deep litter method to me? I have a meatie pen that's 10'x10'x2', which gets pretty muddy in the spring time. I was thinking about adding sand to the floor, but then I read your deep litter idea, but I do not know what it means

You can search this site and find a lot of reading material on it from people far more aquainted with it than I. The basic answer is it is using 6-8" of bedding material within the coop. The chickens assist keeping the material fresh by scratching, and we of course turning it over. It can "last" for extended time frames. You would simply add clean bedding as needed.

What I am trying to do in the floor-less brooder is to allow for insects, worms, etc to populate the bedding material and become food (protein) for the birds and also have a working compost system. I know my meaties aren't the best scratchers, but other breeds I place in there will be. For now, my trusty pitch fork will help bring the bugs to the surface.

The meatie pen you describe would be better if you moved it daily. It sounds like a pasture pen. Keeping any amount of meaties in a stationary area is an exercise in futility. Been there, done that.​

 

[anthonyjames]

Looks like my tractors I am using but smaller.

I never thought about making one into a permanent brooder. Right now I have my 4 x 4 brooder box inside and half of it is wrapped in plastic.

Seeing as you are in VA how many heat lamps you have in there? I saw two but did you start with more? Here in WI I would need quite a few I would think to keep the temp to 95 for the first week. Even today I, went out and it was 89 so I lowered it about 2 inches closer to the ground and added more wood chips to the top of the brooder. Now it is about 93 under the box and they have to go about 6 foot from the box to get the food and water. And the temp by that is 67 today.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Nice set-up, you should list your plans for people... that is if you do not mind to share. Great way to keep the chicks out of your house, barns, garages..... the dust is just horrible.

The no floor system is definitely the way to go, this way you don't have to climb in there and clean it out... you just pick it up and move it. Also by using the litter you can start chicks in their from day one. I've tried your system with out litter and it doesn't work. The ground is just too cold for day olds this time of year, so the bedding acts like an insulator.

Good job, that will make your life way easier. Now you just need to get a section of nipple water drinkers hanging from the ceiling hooked up to a 5 gallon bucket so your water stays clean, and you don't have to go inside. Trust me, if you went this far with your brooder, it's worth the additional expense as your time is cut in half.

 

[roaminggnome61]

Thanks for the deep litter method info...unfortunately, I cannot move this pen. I have a portable with my laying hens. I guess I'll stick with my plan to add sand to the meatie pen floor.