# Brooder Flooring Question



## wildolive (Jul 25, 2011)

Is 1/4" hardware cloth acceptable for brooder flooring? (elevated brooder with clean-out tray below it)


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## TeenyTinyFarm (Jan 19, 2014)

Hardware cloth as flooring is more likely to result in cases of bumble foot.


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## gjensen (Feb 8, 2014)

You will have trouble with droppings not falling through. 1/2 mesh size is better. 

It is important to source wire with little to no barbs. You might have to clean it up a bit. 

You can put paper towels down for the first week or so. 

My brooders have solid bottoms and bedding. I have sun porches that have 1/2" x 1" bottoms that they do not have access to until they are large enough. Then they are not in these pens for much longer.


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## Dead Rabbit (Oct 30, 2010)

wildolive said:


> Is 1/4" hardware cloth acceptable for brooder flooring? (elevated brooder with clean-out tray below it)



it will work just fine. thats how mine is built and ive raised hundreds the past 5 yrs in my brooder box with this very same wire. 

no foot problems, no manure buildup. no dirty litter material. a very clean method to use. i use newspaper in the removable tray. i have two trays. slide dirty one out. slide clean one in. dirty one, remove old newspaper, compost it, spray off tray with water hose. disinfect with bleach if you choose to. wa-laaa!!


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## wildolive (Jul 25, 2011)

Dead Rabbit said:


> ...raised hundreds the past 5 yrs...


That's a strong endorsement.

Since these will be my first chicks, I've been wondering about the issues that were raised... 
...how will their little feet deal with the hardware cloth size...
...how will it REALLY work when it comes to cleaning...

But, the fact that you've raised hundreds with a similar brooder makeup says a lot.

My intention was to have the brooder floor be a combination of solid & screened; plywood with some bedding at Brinsea EcoGlow and hardware cloth at feed and water (with a clean-out tray below).

Thanks for all your input. I know many others have done this before and I'm hoping to learn what works and what doesn't. Thanks again!


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## SJSFarm (Jun 13, 2012)

Dead Rabbit, can you post some pics of your brooder?


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## gjensen (Feb 8, 2014)

Take a look at the manufactured brooders to include the mesh type. That should be a confirmation. GQF would be a manufacturer to compare.
I never had any trouble with chicks on wire either, but not to say that you could not. I switched to a solid floor with bedding when I moved my brooding outside. I needed the insulation for the cold nights.


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## Dead Rabbit (Oct 30, 2010)

SJSFarm said:


> Dead Rabbit, can you post some pics of your brooder?



this evening when i shovel my way out to the outbuildings to feed up. i will try to get some taken.

simple wood box. designed similar to commercial metal brooders, minus the exterior feeders and waters.

i heat with two light bulbs and sockets. one socket is on regular switch. the other socket is on a dimmer switch so i can adjust heat accordingly. in summer only dimmer socket is needed. during winter, which i rarely raise biddies in cold weather any more. i need both lights going. plus a moving blanket over the box. to retain heat.

the whole thing is designed and built around a plastic tray that is made for rabbit cages. it slides in and out under the wire flooring.


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## Dead Rabbit (Oct 30, 2010)

my method is to put papertowels under the light bulbs which are mounted on inside walls of box. this gives the day old chicks a "solid" floor while their feet get stronger and bigger. these towels only stay there for two days. by then its hard to peel it off wire b/c of heat and chick pressure and droppings. but by then there is no problems with them on wire. 

i know others that have a small piece of plywood under lights so they get some time off wire but this turns into a horrible mess in one day. and is difficult to clean. wire floor is best esp. if they stand on paper towl for a day or two. truthfully they dont even need this. ive put them right on to wire with no problems. but its one of the few ways i "baby" them.


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## Sumatra (Dec 5, 2013)

Usually I use pine shavings with paper towels for the first 3-4 days. But may people use small-mesh hardware cloth for their chicks, so it seems both options work well. It all depends which is more work. Since you're building a brooder, it sounds like you're getting into this long-term.


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## Dead Rabbit (Oct 30, 2010)

SJSFarm said:


> Dead Rabbit, can you post some pics of your brooder?


as requested. obviously i havent cleaned it since the last batch. i sold a group of 30 couple weeks ago. i do see where a true metal brooder would be simpler to take care of. and a few things i would do differently the next time is not use luan as a lid. its too thin and warped on me. and of course i would finish it by finishing around the electrical boxes and switches that run the light bulbs inside the box.


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## gjensen (Feb 8, 2014)

That is an effective brooder. I like the concept myself. I would only add some ventilation (unless it is where I cannot see it). 
I could see myself trying a modifies version of it.

That wire is larger than 1/4". LOL.


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## Dead Rabbit (Oct 30, 2010)

gjensen said:


> That is an effective brooder. I like the concept myself. I would only add some ventilation (unless it is where I cannot see it).
> I could see myself trying a modifies version of it.
> 
> That wire is larger than 1/4". LOL.



u are correct...my mistake. my grandfather did use 1/4 stuff though. so it does work. sorry to mislead.

the box does have vent holes drilled near the top and under the wire floor. on both sides.

first go round with it i raised quail in it. it became obvious there was not enough ventilation in it. so i had to revamp and drill the holes. in the summer when humidity is high, i can also raise the door where the pan is to help with ventilation and with temp. control. 
this winter with extreme cold, i had to cover with the moving blanket to keep it warm and run two light bulbs wide open. i keep the brooder in an insulated, but unheated storage shed.


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## gjensen (Feb 8, 2014)

I like the brooder myself. I like looking at what other people do, because it gives me ideas. 

I was considering making one to put in my utility room to harden the chicks off in. 

I would be wary of posting picks of mine. It was never intended to be a brooder at all. 

Mine is a mobile pen that I exchanged wire for wood and put it on legs. It works well. Easy to clean out etc. 
It's main fault other than it being big and bulky is I have to be careful that it does not get too hot later into the season. I had to put a thermostat on it. 
Brooding them outside is semi new to me. 
I added runs to it for when they were ready. This buys me time if my assembly line gets a little bottled up.


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## Dead Rabbit (Oct 30, 2010)

the first use of this box was for quail as mentioned. at the time i hadnt finished my basement. the brooder box was down there in basement. with in couple days the smell was horrible. it had to go. plus i went on to finish the basement. so i definitly wouldnt keep it there now. 

my cab. incubator is still in an unfinished utility closet in basement. but i wont keep live birds past a day in therer either. im in the process of building a hatcher and that will go in with the bator. 

i keep the chicks in brooder box for only a short period of time. once the feathers come in they get moved to the barn in an empty rabbit cage and a brooder style light and hood over them. after that they get moved to an open pen outside also with light but used very little. i dont raise them soft. they have to be tough.

actually anything can be used as a brooder. and a wire floor can be added. just build a frame. and add wire. either 1/2 x 1/2 or 1/4 x 1/4 will work:ashamed:....the frame can sit on bottom of brooder or put on legs. either way no litter is necessary, and they are up off the bottom of brooder. when cleaning pick wired frame up out of brooder (container) and clean out.


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