Show me your brooder! Need ideas for my first

[Chris Herzog]

I made this last month. The center divider slides up and out to make one big space.

Chris

 

[janchilds]

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How many birds per level? And I can't see very well... how are you getting into the levels?

Awesome idea!

 

[janchilds]

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Chris, I really like this. Especially the fact that it has legs and not down on the ground. What are the approx dimensions? Is the floor plywood too?

Thanks for sharing!

 

[kari_dawn]

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lmao!

mine was a 60 gal rubermaid...I used closet brackets and added a roost pole...I had 15 birds in this brooder. This pic was right before they outgrew it and moved outside.

 

[Chris Herzog]

Quote:
Chris, I really like this. Especially the fact that it has legs and not down on the ground. What are the approx dimensions? Is the floor plywood too?

Thanks for sharing!

Yes the floor is ply also. I basically built a box, then built the legs and attached the two. Very easy to build. The box is ruffly 3' wide x 6' long and 2' high. I made it 6' long and not 8' to fit in the space I had available. I still need to make a top for it and either paint it or stain it but it works great for us. And yes, having it up off the ground is a big plus.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Hodawg]

We started off with the large white Igloo cooler when the chicks first hatched. A few weeks later I had to build a bigger brooder (2' x 4') with a plexiglass front. Pix can be seen on my BYC page.

Beers y'all,
Ken

 

[Anna_MN]

I really like your brooder! I had thought of doing something like this but with some wire mesh on the top and a few inches on the sides.

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[Anna_MN]

Thanks for everyone's advice! I really don't want to use cardboard- too stinky (ew)

. I had also thought of using a rubbermaid container for fake christmas trees, but the sides weren't high enough. I really want something that they can stay in until they are ready for the coop and something that I can reuse for hauling my meat chickens to butcher camp. I have a few ideas drawn up but i'm still not sure...

 

[kari_dawn]

Unfortunately they were out of lids when I bought mine

but I have seen people cut out the center of the lid, and just add hardware cloth...would keep the little ones from jumping out.

 

[WyandotteTX]

Quote:
How many birds per level? And I can't see very well... how are you getting into the levels?

Awesome idea!

Each level is 2x4 and will hold about 25 bantams or 15 lf up to 3-4 weeks. I put heat lamps on each level as well. The doors are cut into one side and are just hinged wire doors, they are hard to see.
Building another one soon and they will have hinged doors on them.