Chicken Brooder

After a very busy spring and summer we are finally to a place where we have time to build the chicken brooder and get some chicks and ducklings.  I really don’t particularly like getting chicks when it is so cool outside but we really want to have laying hens and ducks ready to start laying next spring.  So… we have chicks and ducklings scheduled to arrive the week of October 15.
The basis for our brooder plans came from A Daring Adventure.  I did change a few minor things.  For example: the cutting layout of the 2″x4″ on page 2.  This is the layout I used.

Also our windows are smaller than theirs and we added a floor.

This project has definitely been a family project.  Everyone has helped somewhere along the way.  The three bigger kids have helped measure and mark where we needed to put boards.  All five of the kids have helped put screws in with the drill.  Scott has come to our rescue a few times when we weren’t quite sure how to do something or needed extra help.

The first two walls

Rebekah helping put screws in.

Eli putting in a screw in one of the short sides.

The four sides before we finished fastening them.

Brock putting the screws into the diagonal boards. Eli was in charge of handing him the screws.

I made a mistake on the diagonal boards (oops!)  I cut them to go to the top of the “rafter” boards.  We didn’t realize the mistake until much later so we had to do some modifications on how we put on the doors.  (like after the plywood was cut and attached to the whole brooder house except for the doors.)  Next time I will know to only have them 48″ not 49″. 🙂

Eli and Adisyn holding the plywood for one of the ends. (They are standing in the window hole.)

Almost finished!

Close up of chicken wire on window.

We are all looking forward to trying out the new brooder next week when the pullet chicks and ducklings arrive!

What projects have you been putting off?  Hopefully I’m not the only one who doesn’t get everything done when I really want to!

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Blessings!

Jennifer