Where am i ever going to put these meaties?

[Judy]

Maybe your front porch would be a good approach for a few days, but you'll want them in a tractor fast. Maybe with a light on an extension cord at first. They shouldn't need heat for long at this time of year, even in your climate.

Some good thoughts here. You'll figure out something.

 

[acheeknmanbestfren]

I built a 4 x 4 x 4 brooder/pen out of plywood. I wanted to make sure I could store it easily so I used old door hinges to attached each corner - when I'm done with it for the year all I have to do is pull the hinge pins and it breaks down into 5 - 4 x 4 pieces of plywood for storage.

I will say I was glad the Cornish-X we put in it only took 6 weeks to mature otherwise it wouldn't have been big enough. I will probably make a second and split the birds up in the future to give them a bit more room.

 

[Chickenmaven]

Quote:
I have a wooden shipping crate - from Home Depot. It is a sort 3D pallet. We covered it with chicken wire & use it as a tractor/brooder. There are lots of ways to fashion on easy shelter. Good luck.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
How many birds did you have in it? That sounds like a really great idea for me. Next year, like I said, we plan on building a sort of pavillion that we can use for goat babies in the off season (large run with roof...paver floor..., sort of like a peacock pavillion)

 

[acheeknmanbestfren]

We initially had 23 (19 Cornish-X and 3 Buff Orps). As the Cornish got bigger we moved the BOs out. At the 6 week mark it was getting pretty cramped but we started freezer camp so it's worked out very well.

For me the best part was the ability to break the pen down for storage as we plan on having 2 groups of meat birds a year and didn't want to have to make much room for the pen.

I'll try to get some pictures up in the next week or so - we'll have in empty later this week.

I would think for 25 birds at a time an 8 x 4 or even 6 x 4 would probably work fine.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
I was just saying like not even 10 minutes ago that 8x4x2 (high) would be great ...I really love the idea of the hinges... Of course next year we'll be better prepared with a meat bird pavillion down in the valley behind our duck house which will probably be around 12x12.

 

[acheeknmanbestfren]

Quote:
I was just saying like not even 10 minutes ago that 8x4x2 (high) would be great ...I really love the idea of the hinges... Of course next year we'll be better prepared with a meat bird pavillion down in the valley behind our duck house which will probably be around 12x12.

My suggestion would be to keep the side walls at 4' as well - that is unless you plan on putting a top on it. We didn't have a top and the 4' sidewalls kept the birds from being interested in exiting

In order to have easy access for water/food/cleaning I cut a area of the front out and then hinged it back on as well - it gives me full access and still leaves a 2' wall that has kept the birds in place when I'm feeding, etc.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

that's perfect! ... we'd need a top for sure because it'd have to be outside and we have crazy insane predators (though im not entirely certain we'd get racoon or something so close to the house with all the lights on and a radio outside but ya never know!).

 

[acheeknmanbestfren]

Here's the whole deal:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2117934#p2117934

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Hey guys, I took acheeknmanbestfren's advice and used hinges, our brooder is 4x8 and 2 feet high. It's sitting on skids, the section with the mesh lifts up, and that is where the brooder light will be. For clean out we'll pop the hinges on one end and scoop it out into the john deere trailer.

Ps, we named it LOL the 'Supah Broodah!'

We're getting our meaties tomorrow morning, and there should be enough room in the brooder for 25 to live comfortably until their final days. After this batch we'll add some rubber wheels to it and a hitch and pull it out of the garage and use it as a tractor for the second batch.