Turning a 4' x 8' Shed into a Brooder

[Azure Acres]

We want to turn this shed into a brooder so that we don't have to brood inside our house. We will have a group brooding from Feb 7 to April 7, another from April 8 to June 8, and another from June 8 to August 8. I live in Missouri, so the first group will have cold night temps. The last group will be dealing with 90-100 degree days at times. Any suggestions on making it work? I'm not opposed to building some sort of "screen door" that could be used during the summer (daytime). I'm also a little concerned about ventilation. The shed isn't airtight, but it also wasn't built to house animals. Any ideas?

We have a Brinsea 20 and plan to tarp the floor and cover it with pine shavings.

 

[Judy]

I would cut out that panel above the door and replace it with hardware cloth for ventilation, at a minimum.

I think you'll find the Brinsea won't be warm enough in cold weather. I would set it up and check it out before the chicks arrive.

Here is how someone else broods outdoors in cold weather:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/735392/redneck-fungshui-brooding-17-degree-temperatures/0_20

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

Nice shed, add some ventilation and it'll make a nice, roomy brooder! Maybe add a screen door made of wire (for predator protection) in the summer.

 

[gander007]

That is going to be a great expense to heat that much room with out insulation in the walls and celling

How many chicks are you starting with as you have enough room for about 500 chicks up to the 3 week mark

 

[Azure Acres]

I am wanting to do 24 chicks to 8 weeks in the first batch.

 

[donrae]

That is going to be a great expense to heat that much room with out insulation in the walls and celling

How many chicks are you starting with as you have enough room for about 500 chicks up to the 3 week mark

But you don't need to heat the entire shed.....just an area for the chicks. A regular heat lamp should work just fine, maybe 2 with that many chicks and that much space.

I think your plan is sound. Some type of screen door, and punch out a few windows covered with screen or whatever to keep predators out, if that's an issue for you....put them up high, and across from each other to catch the breeze where you live, you should be good to go.

Let us know how it goes for you!

 

[TK421]

Sounds like you plan to do a few batches of meat birds. This is a great shed for exactly that, although 24 birds might be a little tight. I would be really tempted to build a 4 foot long waist high table on one side to hold a plywood brooder box. I'd store supplies under the table. Once the chicks got big enough, I'd cover the floor in shavings, straw, or hay, and turn them loose on the floor This could also be used if you ever have a broody hen or an injured hen that you wanted to separate from your flock.

Or....

Forget the table, and build a removable brooder box. Figure on 2-3 heat lamps hung from the ceiling for the chicks once they're out of the brooder. I agree with cutting out ventilation holes above the door, or Triangular gaps on the sides, covered with hardware cloth.