Very nice setup. I have a much smaller one, but then we hatch in far different quantities. I have heard of "brooder" boxes something like an incubator, I don't understand how they work or how hard they would be to clean. Your John, looks rather simple to scrub out.
I recently purchased this GQF battery brooder set. Each one has its own heater and thermostat. They each have a tray for droppings that slides out for easy cleaning. I'll be putting the first batch of chicks in it this evening...
How many chicks do you keep at one time in your brooder room? Do you have it partitioned for different age groups? I'm going to try using shavings in the drop pans instead of paper. Hopefully it will keep the smell down a little longer...
When in full swing there will be hundreds of chicks in the brooder room, from a couple days old to maybe 6 weeks old for the bantams. No partitions. More chicks go in each week and in a month or so I'll start pulling out the older ones to go out into a coop in the chicken barn. In the brooder room many of the youngest chicks spend a lot of time under the floor brooder.
When in full swing there will be hundreds of chicks in the brooder room, from a couple days old to maybe 6 weeks old for the bantams. No partitions. More chicks go in each week and in a month or so I'll start pulling out the older ones to go out into a coop in the chicken barn. In the brooder room many of the youngest chicks spend a lot of time under the floor brooder.
The 2 cabinet brooders, on 2 by 4 legs, in the hatchery have deep dropping pans for wood shavings and they work great. I just sprinkle more shavings on top as needed and don't have to clean them until the end of the hatching season.
Materials needed:
(4) Legs, 2x4s (actual size 1 ½ x 3 ½) x 48†(may be shorter if using pre-cut studs)
(1) Top Back, 7/16†OSB, 48†x 10â€
(1) Door - Top Front, 7/16†OSB, 48†x 16â€
(3) Hinges, 2†or whatever
(1) Front, 7/16†OSB, 51†x 10â€
(2) Supports - bottom, 1x4 (actual size ¾ x 3 ½ or 3 5/8) x 51â€
(1) Back, 7/16†OSB, 51†x 16â€
(1) Bottom, 7/16†OSB, 48†x 27â€
(2) Sides, 7/16†OSB, 25†x 16â€
(4) Supports – inside front & back, 1x4 (could even use 1x3) x47â€
(4) Supports – inside on sides, 1x4 or 1x3 x 23 ½â€
(1) Support – inside divider, 1x4 or 1x3 x 23 ½â€
(1) Window on top – acrylic, ¼†(or whatever) x 6†x 24†(I added a couple more in front, later, for short kids to peek in)
(1) Support – door, 2x4 x 45 ½â€
(1) Droppings Pan, galvanized, 6†x 26 ½†x 46 ½â€
(1) 33†Brooder Heater, #5040 thru Cutler’s Supply
(3) Pan Slides, 1x4 or 1x3 x 26 ½â€
(1) Hardware Cloth, 24 ¼†x 46 ¾â€
(3) ¼†x ¾†Wood Strips - sides, 25†long
(2) ¼†x ¾†Wood Strips – front & back, 45 ½†long
(1) ¼†x ¾†Wood Strip - center, 23 1/2 “ long
A bunch of 1†drywall screws
Do you use 1/2 or 1/4 inch Hardware Cloth for the bottom? Any problems with hurt legs on that ? I usually put them on paper for the first week or 2.
Here is a commercial batter brooder though Russ got his from Dickey, same idea though.Dickey makes and sells incubators, but I don't think he sells brooders(?).
He does make and sell brooders. I got a flyer about them in one of the purchases I made from hem, but it's not on his website, which in 2016 practically means it does not exist, LOL.Here is a commercial batter brooder though Russ got his from Dickey, same idea though.Dickey makes and sells incubators, but I don't think he sells brooders(?).
How does the battery box work?
5 Tray hatcher | Hatcher, w/dual wafer thermostat & TRH 158 hygrometer | $509.25 | UPS |
5 Tray hatcher | Hatcher, w/electronic thermostat & digital hygrometer | $586.20 | UPS |
John we did you pursue the thermostat control for your heat lamps?
John I was wondering on your brooders (on legs) how hard is it to clean and disinfect the wire bottom? I am going to build a couple, which mine will be a table top version based off dimensions of a 36â€x30†rabbit hutch tray that easily purchased through TSC. It appears your wire bottom is fixed and not removable? I was thinking of making mine where it would slide out in order to wash and disinfect it. Perhaps it’s not really necessary? Just wondering what problems if any you might of had or would recommend.
If the room gets too hot an attic style exhaust vent, working off a thermostat, sucks out the heat. The vacuum pulls open the shutters on the louvered vent in the door to draw in fresh air.
Another breeder friend of mine says if you go with the animal bedding wood pellets (like for horse stalls), it will cut down even more on the dust. But as I have bantams, it seems like it would be a difficult substrate for them, especially just starting out.
-Temple DaSilva
Connecticut