Chickens, and things related

[EddieWalker]

Have you built your brooder yet?

I went to Walmart yesterday to price tubs. The very largest ones there are 50 gallons and should be plenty big enough for some turkeys. Your's could be allot smaller, but for the money, they look pretty good. I like the fact that I can buy a few of them and have three of four brooders going at the same time, then when I'm done with them, I can clean them real good. Storage will also be easy since they stack together and take up minimal room.

Walmart also has the lamps and red flood light bulbs, so that makes it easy. I haven't seen a thermometer that I like yet, but haven't looked real hard either. The ones with the dial like a clock face seem to be the easiest to read from the pictures that I saw online.

Eddie

 

[Tororider]

Hey Eddie,
Nope haven't built it yet, been trying to get the house ready for a birthday party.

I did go to Kmart and saw their 49gals for I think it was $15. They were good size, but more height and less floorspace than I wanted. I know it would work, but I want one thats big enough for them to stay in for 5-6 weeks so I have a little wiggle room depending on the weather. I think I missed out, they have storage totes for Christmas trees that I am sure I could have gotten a great deal on right after Christmas that are shorter and longer. So the short story is I am still looking. Hopeing to build it next week after the party and start trying to figure out the temp in my detached garage.

I think I am going to use a heat lamp bulb(red), and then maybe run a very small space heater to take the chill out of the rest of the air. We will see, if I can keep a constant temp with the heat bulb I will eliminate the space heater as having it out there running all the time would make me nervous.

 

[Tororider]

Btw, the reason I was thinking bigger is they are suggesting 2 sq ft per bird as they get bigger, but before going to the outside coop. I was hoping for something clear, but I may go with something like this that I can use this year after I am done brooding with it. It is more expensive but would be great on the deck for hiding the kids toys.

Rubbermaid Patio Storage Bench - Wal-Mart

Or this

Rubbermaid Deck Box with Seat - 5F2100OLVSS at The Home Depot

99-Gallon Extra Large Deck Box


Eddie, let me know what you think.

 

[Tororider]

What would be perfect is if I could find one of those bench storage with a split top so I could leave half closed and fasten the other half open, fashion a lid, and use that as a brooder. Let me know if anyone sees anything like that.

 

[jeffinsgf]

The local farm stores use galvanized stock tanks. Don't know how the price compares with what you're looking at, but a stock tank should be easily used or resold.

 

[EddieWalker]

The problem with those nice storage units is the first time you start to use it for storage, it will never be availabe again to you for your next batch of chicks.

I was hoping to find something longer with more floor space like those Christmas Tree holders, but then thought that I could put fewer chicks in each container and buy three or four containers. The price of containers. heat lamps and feeders isn't really significant if I can raise more birds. For turkeys, I'm thinking about 6 birds per container. That should cut down on infighting and compitition for food and water.

My problem is that no matter how big I go, it's never going to be big enough. I'm also concerned with storage after they leave the brooder. Stacking the tubs up and putting them in the rafters has allot of apeal to me.

I measured the length for my fence this morning at 470 feet, which is going to put me well over 1/4 of an acre for them.

Eddie

 

[Tororider]

Eddie,
With your building skills could you build some walls that just bolt together? Just 2x4's as the frame for the walls, osb/plywood for the surface of the walls. You could build interior walls to partition if you so desired. Then when you are done, unbolt, stock walls and throw in the rafters?

I am thinking that when I need to have a brooder again in the future, probably not for a few more years, it would be a good excuse for buying another storage bench, hehe.

 

[EddieWalker]

Building something was my original thought. Cleaning wood after the birds have been in it is what I'm trying to avoid. I think I can sanatize plastic with alchohal or bleach when they are done and be ready for the next batch really easy. Platic is lightweight, easy to handle and for the price, allot cheaper then wood without any building time.

I'm still looking for the perfect platit tub for brooding, so nothing is decided yet. I'm hoping you come up with something better!!!

Eddie

 

[Tororider]

Hrmm....
That could be a problem as I was waiting for you to come up with something as well.

 

[Tororider]

Eddie,
Stopped by Home Depot today, they have some bigger shorter totes, I think they measure 3.5'x2'x2', for about $15. I think that may be the way I go, unless one of the big box stores has a storage bench on sale for under $50 next week, which I don't see happening. It looks like wire cloth is going to end up running me about $60 for my coop and run, two rolls of 3'x25' with half inch squares.

I was looking at deer fabric, which is kind of like wire cloth, but in plastic/nylon?. You can get a 100'x7' roll for $54 at home depot. I am wondering if it will work for my run or if coons or dogs would go right through it? Any ideas? It may work for you Eddie, its higher and relatively inexpensive, although I am sure you have predators worse than I do in my neighborhood here.