stackable brooders ?

[Royal Flush Game Birds]

Im considering either buying the stackable GQF quail brooders or building my own. I want to know how many each brooder will "really"hold without over crowding and to how many weeks. Anyone using these and are they worth the money ie.. saving time and space and clean up.Thanks for your response.Barnabus <><

[RedOakGamebirds]

We have several of them and they are excellent.  The only downfall to them is the price.  From day one we normally keep 100-150 in each section and after a few weeks you will need to spread them out to avoid overcrowding and pecking.  They take up very little space and they are easy to clean.  The temperature is steady and accurate.  Only had to replace the thermostat once in the past 3 years.  We use blue bulbs in ours and havent had much problems.  I recommend purchasing automatic cup waterers to go along with it.  Cant give you an accurate electricity rating because of everything running at the same time but its not that bad unless you run all of them at once.  I'd say maybe $20-$30 a month but I could be wrong.  If you have the money to put into one then I'd say go for it.  But you can also get by with just a cardboard box and light for alot less money or build one yourself.  


Larry

[Don McGowan]

I agree with RedOak !!   They are great to use !!  have no trouble with mine. I have two stacked and cleanup is not bad at all. I use a brass bristle pot and pan brush on the ruff stuff and wipe them out takes about 15 min to have one ready to go again.  about 150 is the most birds I keep in one and move them on out at about 2 weeks.  CAUTION !!! do not open the top when the birds are over 2 weeks old !!!   It's like taking the lid off a popcorn popper !!   them little suckers are fast and go everywhere !!!!

hope this helps

[coveyrun]

Dan, How do you change the food and water without taking the top off. I have one of these and do not use the auto waterer, I use a no drown waterer and I have to take the top off, thus the popcorn effect. Tim/Coveyrun

[Don McGowan]

I just slide the front panel and reach in. I use the Quart chick waterer and metal feeder from GQF and they fit right in.

[coveyrun]

Don, brooder must be different than yours, it sounds like we have the same set-up but the quart waterer will not fit through the sliding door without tipping it.
I just ordered another electric brooder from Randall Burley in Texas(nice people), and they told me the new model has some changes made to it. They don't make one specific to chickens or gamebirds anymore, it's a universal model now. Tim

[fran]

There is a very nice brooder at www.strombergschickens.com it has outside feeders and waters so you dont have to open it up to change the water check it our.

[Don McGowan]

Outside feed and water does not work for baby quail, they are just to small to reach it. you need to go with inside feed and water and scatter extra feed on the floor to get them started for the first couple of weeks.  but the brooder would be great !!

[CHARLIE]

I AGREE WITH DON ON ALL THINGS. I HAVE 6 GQF BROODERS IN USE AND LOVE THEM . I DO GET THE POPCORN EFECT AS I USE THE QUART WATER JARS AND THE GQF CHICK FEEDERS. MY BROODERS ARE IN A SMALL BUILDING SO CATCHING THE LOOSE BIRDS IS NOT ALL THAT BAD.
 I START OFF WITH ABOUT 120 CHICKS IN EACH BROODER AND AS THEY GROW I REMOVE SOME .
                    CHARLIE
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