Show Off Your Brooders

[Robo]

I am thinking about building a new brooder, and I would like some ideas. Post some pics of yours and lets see what we get.

 

[emsdial911]

Took me a couple of hours to build this.

 

[GermanChick]

Wow, that is a really nice brooder, lots of space

 

[emsdial911]

I built it on my workbench so there is no bottom to it, I can take it outside and let them run around in the grass.

 

[Cattitude]

Nice brooder!

Here is my rebuilt brooder, nice location under the shade trees and near the water faucet!

 

[KentuckyChick]

The front is actually a door now.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

This is our main brooder. It's 10' long and 2' wide, made out of scap and recycled materials, so not very pretty, but it seems to work fine. We've brooded as many as 50 chicks from day old until 5 weeks old in it, usually aroung 25 to 30 at a time. We have tarps we use on the sides as side curtains for the first week or so and anytime there is bad weather in the forcast. I know most people think you have to keep baby chicks inside, but we've brooded over 250 chicks this year and only lost 2 so far, from different hatches and both within the first two days. We have a 250 watt red heat bulb for heat and use it according to the outside temps. It's on three foot legs to make the doors at a comfortable height for working with the chicks, feeding & watering them. (And for the kids to play with them!) We cover about half of the wire floor with paper towels the first two days and sprinkle a bit of feed on the paper towels around the feeder to help them learn where the feed is at. After that it's just a hardware cloth floor. We remove the side curtains after the first two weeks if the weather and temps allow.

Anyway, it's different, but it works!

 

[drumstick diva]

emsdial911, wow, what a setup!! I knew you couldn't fit that one on a dining room table. Great dual purpose too, that there is no floor and you can take it outside. I'd hate to try and lift it but, I'm only 5 ft. tall so that isn't sayin' much.

 

[Robo]

Emsdial911 what do you use for a floor in yours?

 

[emsdial911]

It's just a plywood table top with pine shavings on it.