Ohio Brooder with auto Temp controls

[archeryrob]

So I had enough of the turning my garage into a chicken sauna with the standard open top brooders. So I build a small ohio brooder that is 2' x 40" and sits inside a 4' x 8' collapsible brooder that can go into the attic.

Detailed list and instructions all posted on my blog here. I do a Youtube run through later on it.

I can partition it to be only 4' to start and 8' by adding the other doors if I raise them before only enough to go out in the cold.

 

[casportpony]

Nice, you should make an article here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/incubators-brooders.27/add

 

[archeryrob]

Done and easy too. I was just able to copy and paste my blog post directly into it.

 

[IslandChickens12356]

So I had enough of the turning my garage into a chicken sauna with the standard open top brooders. So I build a small ohio brooder that is 2' x 40" and sits inside a 4' x 8' collapsible brooder that can go into the attic.

Detailed list and instructions all posted on my blog here. I do a Youtube run through later on it.

I can partition it to be only 4' to start and 8' by adding the other doors if I raise them before only enough to go out in the cold.

How hot does it get in the Ohio brooder? I have a 4'x3' and I'm unsure of what else to add in addition to a 150W ceramic reptile heater.

 

[jher77]

How hot does it get in the Ohio brooder? I have a 4'x3' and I'm unsure of what else to add in addition to a 150W ceramic reptile heater.

Get rid of the ceramic heater element and put in a heat lamp bulbs. They do not work the same unfortunately. The ceramic element could work if the ambient temps are high enough but I brood in winter outside. Not good enough in that case. Ceramic heaters heat like a heating element with a slim field of heat around it and the heat going upwards. Heat lamps also project heat in the beam of light.

It really depends on the ambient temps you want to brood in and the insulation of the ohio broder that decides what the wattage of the bulbs are.

 

[archeryrob]

Get rid of the ceramic heater element and put in a heat lamp bulbs. They do not work the same unfortunately. The ceramic element could work if the ambient temps are high enough but I brood in winter outside. Not good enough in that case. Ceramic heaters heat like a heating element with a slim field of heat around it and the heat going upwards. Heat lamps also project heat in the beam of light.

It really depends on the ambient temps you want to brood in and the insulation of the ohio broder that decides what the wattage of the bulbs are.

I use it in a building and it works just fine. You can do what every you like. I do not like the bulbs as i think they are more of a fire hazard if cracked or broken.

 

[archeryrob]

How hot does it get in the Ohio brooder? I have a 4'x3' and I'm unsure of what else to add in addition to a 150W ceramic reptile heater.

It gets as hot as you set the inkbird to be. We start at 95 and lover to 90, 85 and 80 as the birds grow.

 

[IslandChickens12356]

Get rid of the ceramic heater element and put in a heat lamp bulbs. They do not work the same unfortunately. The ceramic element could work if the ambient temps are high enough but I brood in winter outside. Not good enough in that case. Ceramic heaters heat like a heating element with a slim field of heat around it and the heat going upwards. Heat lamps also project heat in the beam of light.

It really depends on the ambient temps you want to brood in and the insulation of the ohio broder that decides what the wattage of the bulbs are.

Ambient temps are between 35 at night and 65-70 in the day, night is mainly what I'm worried about.

I'm unsure of the R value of the insulation that I have, but I can double layer it if the temps aren't holding.

Good to know about the ceramic elements, thank you

 

[IslandChickens12356]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/m1e3Foow5RNrkyX19

Here is a video of the brooder, it's currently uninsulated.

In addition to the Ohio Brooder I have 3 Premier 1 heating plates, but I just learned that they only keep chicks warm in temps above 55-65°.

I have access to a heating dome, I'm thinking having the Ohio brooder on one side and then the dome above the other part of the brooder will be warm enough.

 

[jher77]

I use two 125w bulbs instead of the 250w bulbs. I also have a dimmer I can turn it down when the ambient temps go up. The 250w bulbs get hot but the 125w bulbs, I can just about unscrew them with my fingers right after turning them off. They do not get near as hot as the 250w bulbs, much safer.