DIY Brooder

Here is a easy DIY brooder that you can put together in about a hour out of 2×4’s. The farmers union got their first shipment of spring birds 2 weeks ago, and once again, they had a bunch left over that no one had picked up.

I asked what was going to happen to them all, don’t worry they said, they will be sold

So I had to pick up some feed on Sunday, same thing, birds all over in the back room

I mentioned I might be interested in taking some, they said well you better get them today, we have been selling a bunch all weekend, we will probably be out, I said don’t worry about it, I was just trying to help find the birds a home, if others want them, they can have them.

Well today was the deadline for the june shipment, and I stopped in to fill out the order slip, sure enough I heard chirping from the back room, you still have birds left? I asked.

Yep, some roosters, some turkeys, a few other odds and ends they said.

Well I was thinking of getting turkeys anyways, so I figured this was a no brainer, the birds were already a couple weeks old, the chances of them surviving was greater and they were starting to feather some.

So they didn’t have any meat birds left so I ordered 20 cornish cross that will be delivered next month.

So I was walking out to the cashier when I heard this quacking sound, what is that I asked?

Well we have 3 mallards left.

Mallards? Suh-weet!

So I picked up 3 mallards and 4 turkeys, now I had to build a pen for them, cause I couldn’t house them in the kennel together.

So I cut some 27 inch 2×4’s

and made a base with some 8 foot boards

I screwed in some corner pieces

and screwed in a center piece to divide up the box

I made another base

and flipped over the first piece and screwed it all together

I flipped it back over and screwed in another cross piece and some divider supports

I wrapped the whole thing in chicken wire and folded it over so when they get a little bigger, they aren’t hopping out

I decided to stick it in a corner of the barn

I wrapped it in plastic to keep the wind out

and put some shavings in each side

I found this feeder at the farmers union, you use a mason jar, I thought it was pretty slick

and I set the new additions into their new home

my daughter has taken to the turkeys

I put some plastic across the divider to keep them separated more

This will be interesting!