Show me your brooder set-up!

[Rooster Giddens]

I built this last year to start my first flock. Now im currently brooding their offspring in it it's 2'x4' plywood with a hinged lid. I fastened it all together with L brackets so it's easy to disassemble and store when not in use. Im pretty proud of it. I put down a layer of pine shavings, then puppy pads, then another thin layer of pine shavings. The puppy pads are genius for easy clean up and they prevent water spills and poop from soiling the wood box. No mold! This was before the chicks hatched in the incubator, so ill get a pic of them in

I built this last year to start my first flock. Now im currently brooding their offspring in it it's 2'x4' plywood with a hinged lid. I fastened it all together with L brackets so it's easy to disassemble and store when not in use. Im pretty proud of it. I put down a layer of pine shavings, then puppy pads, then another thin layer of pine shavings. The puppy pads are genius for easy clean up and they prevent water spills and poop from soiling the wood box. No mold! This was before the chicks hatched in the incubator, so ill get a pic of them in it tomorrow

Just right! Looks good. I'll bet the chicks dig it!!

 

[CoopsNPoops]

Just right! Looks good. I'll bet the chicks dig it!!

It works perfectly! And the best part is it was practically free, aside from the L brackets and hinges, which were cheap. The plywood came out of my father in laws building materials he was using to build his house. I dont remember exactly where or how i got the hardware cloth for the lid, heck i may have purchased that too, lol. Either way, it was a cheap build!

 

[Rooster Giddens]

It works perfectly! And the best part is it was practically free, aside from the L brackets and hinges, which were cheap. The plywood came out of my father in laws building materials he was using to build his house. I dont remember exactly where or how i got the hardware cloth for the lid, heck i may have purchased that too, lol. Either way, it was a cheap build!

It definitely looks like it does it's job and you can't beat material that you have around the house to build it with!! About how chicks will it adequately hold?

 

[CoopsNPoops]

It definitely looks like it does it's job and you can't beat material that you have around the house to build it with!! About how chicks will it adequately hold?

Well, it has 8 square foot floor space, so I'm not sure how much chicks need. I only brooded 15 chicks last time, so im not sure how long more will fit comfortably this time. They are to sell, so they wont stay long anyways. As of right now at a week old, they have plenty of space. Ill take a photo of them in it shortly.

 

[Rooster Giddens]

Well, it has 8 square foot floor space, so I'm not sure how much chicks need. I only brooded 15 chicks last time, so im not sure how long more will fit comfortably this time. They are to sell, so they wont stay long anyways. As of right now at a week old, they have plenty of space. Ill take a photo of them in it shortly.

I was just curious! I may build something similar to yours in the future, that way they're not in my living room. Not that they are a nuisance but with a 5 ft round swimming pool it takes up space!

 

[CoopsNPoops]

I was just curious! I may build something similar to yours in the future, that way they're not in my living room. Not that they are a nuisance but with a 5 ft round swimming pool it takes up space!

Yea, i couldnt do it in the house. I have 4 kids and 2 dogs as it is, lol. Just the incubator in the house for 3 weeks was enough. Luckily we have a 10x12 utility shed outside that is the perfect place for it and theyre safe from predators and weather!

 

[Ridgerunner]

About how chicks will it adequately hold?

Part of the answer to this is how old will they be when you take them out. They grow really fast and a brooder can get crowded in a hurry. A brooder that is great for 4 week olds may be really crowded a week later.

I don't like square feet per chick numbers because to me they don't work. Too many variables. Different feeders and waters take up different amounts of room. I find that by 5 weeks boys take up more room than girls. Different breeds are different sizes. It's not just the chicks' behaviors either. You have to clean and maintain it. The more crowded it is the more work that is.

My first brooder was 3' x 5'. I kept 28 chicks, mostly girls, in it until they were 5 weeks old. It was getting pretty crowded. I kept 23 chicks, mostly boys, in it until they were 5 weeks old. It was getting really crowded. When I built my new brooder I made it 3' x 6', I've never maxed it out.

 

[MARANMAN2011]

Heres mine

 

[CoopsNPoops]

Heres mine

Nice! I like the idea of the pvc feeders. More floor space than the floor chick feeders. However, it may also prevent them from feeding at the same time and cause some fighting to be the few to eat at once. Maybe a long trough one along a side would work better.. I also like the raised bed aspect of yours. It is a little rough on the back being bent over to clean the bedding in mine. I also wish i wouldve tried a hanging nipple waterer or something. They sure do make a mess out of the pine shavings in their waterer. Im having to clean it out a couple times a day. Plus its a headache having to fill and flip it each time. It'd be much more convenient to fill from the top without picking it up and moving it. Trial and error, trial and error...

 

[Rooster Giddens]

Part of the answer to this is how old will they be when you take them out. They grow really fast and a brooder can get crowded in a hurry. A brooder that is great for 4 week olds may be really crowded a week later.

I don't like square feet per chick numbers because to me they don't work. Too many variables. Different feeders and waters take up different amounts of room. I find that by 5 weeks boys take up more room than girls. Different breeds are different sizes. It's not just the chicks' behaviors either. You have to clean and maintain it. The more crowded it is the more work that is.

My first brooder was 3' x 5'. I kept 28 chicks, mostly girls, in it until they were 5 weeks old. It was getting pretty crowded. I kept 23 chicks, mostly boys, in it until they were 5 weeks old. It was getting really crowded. When I built my new brooder I made it 3' x 6', I've never maxed it out.

I agree on the sg ft per chick math! As you said,too many variables involved. I think that the more room the better but I also know that not everyone has a bunch of room for bigger brooders therefore limited to the number of chicks they can raise. I'm planning on incubating my eggs in about a year and a half. My chicks aren't even laying yet. I probably won't hatch no more than a dozen at a time or less.