Monday, February 1, 2010

[CHICKENS-101] Upright brooder box pics

 

I added a few photos of my upright brooder box to my album-  Flying A Farm
 
It's made of trim board, pegboard, plywood & 1/4 hardware cloth.  This was part of a trade I made for several upright rabbit hutches.  It's great for chicks & very small bantams (like my Serama trio on the top shelf).  It provides ventilation, but is east to heat. 
 
It's in my brooder area of the shed in a corner.  I've had babies in it from a week old up in temps down to below freezing in the last few months.  It uses standard 24" x 24" trays that slide in and out and are deep enough to hold lots of bedding.  I used wood pellet horse bedding and it's lasts quite a while.  I also put the water for the babies up on a brick.  The Seramas just use small drinking cups set inside a wire loop for stability.  When the weather is better, I use rabbit waterers and cut holes big enough in the hardware cloth to slide the tube through.  Heat lamps just hang directly against the wire with small S hooks (centered so they don't melt the plastic trays!)
 
If I was to make my own, I'd make individual doors for each shelf.  This one only has 2 doors for 5 shelves.  The Seramas like to jump out on my hands & arms when I tend to babies.  They want attention NOW~LOL  Also, the babies have to be taken out for cleaning, but that gives me a chance to get a good look at each one.  I just pull the trays, dump them in the muck cart, refill with bedding and put the babies back in :-)
 
Laura Undem, Flying A Farm, Morrow, AR   http://flyingafarm.com/
Rare breed & Heritage poultry, grass raised Black Angus Cattle
AMHR Miniature Horses & ASPC Classic Ponies

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