Crib Brooder

CRIB BROODER 2016
[See Brooder DIY page for container-type brooder]

March 8, 2016

The Crib Brooder Project is underway as we have a beautiful spring-like day in the 70s to work. The free baby crib had been disassembled and the metal piece, which depressed to lower the crib side was removed. The sides and end pieces of the crib were fastened together with wood screws, washers and bolts as needed, using the factory holes in the metal corner pieces. 

 

To support the floor, brace pieces across the end rails (above), and 

wood planks across the width of the crib (below) were screwed to the bottom rails.

Above:  Thin luan paneling was cut for the floor of the brooder, after being covered with contact plastic, which wrapped around the edges and secured with duct tape on the bottom.  The end walls are 21" high with length being post to post, and screwed into the post.

March 9, 2016

The metal spring section makes a good top.

Poultry hex netting was attached with zip ties to the spring section. 

March 12, 2016

Theme of the day:  Zip ties (cable ties) are awesome!  The finishing touches were completed.  Side walls have been secured to the rails with zip ties and the plastic garden fence was secured around the top and side rails, and posts with zip ties.

"Hinges" of zip ties help when lifting one side of the top. 

The top fits perfectly tight. 

Here the crib brooder sits in the garage/shed.

March 15, 2016:

Finally preparations are made to the crib brooder with a sandbox and bedding.

A box of sun-dried construction sand with a bit of wood ash was placed in the corner.

Equine stall pellets were placed on the floor.

New residents of the crib brooder, six 3-week old Black Australorp chicks.

All six decided to check out the sand box together!

A 2x2 perch was placed in the corner, 5 inches off the brooder floor.
It took several hours for them to figure out what a perch was for!

March 19, 2016

We made a nipple waterer for the "big chicks", the australorps.  They didn't take to it.  I made a smaller version for the "little chicks", the sex-links, who started using it within 30 minutes!  I'm sure the older chicks will catch on eventually!

Chicken nipples in the bottom of a protein powder container.
Holes in the lid for wire hanger.
[In later waterers, the holes were placed just under the lid's screw joint,
 not in the lid, which can split with the weight of the water.]

The "Little Pterodactyls" with two heat lamps enduring a cold TN night,
which "feels like 35".  First day of Spring tomorrow?

April 4, 2016

The australorp chicks are looking less like little vultures and more like little chickens!  

Approximately 6.5 weeks old.  LaRue is right in the middle

April 21, 2016

The crib brooder was vacated by the Australorps today and readied for it's new residents, 7 week old black and red sex-links.