Charcoal Heater

When I was doing an interview for an article, my question on what beddings and manner of brooding came up. I was expecting the normal brooding practices of either conventional or natural farming, but this was a nice blend of science and natural.

Charcoal Heater: Using this kind of artificial heater is a big advantage to natural farmers because it  is very cost efficient and at the same time the smoke helps repel mosquitoes that is the carrier of fowl pox. The heat is very much scattered equally at the brooder that even if you are standing at the edge of the brooder, you can feel the heat that is produced. One heater can be used for up to 1000 heads of chicks.   If you used it for just 14 days for brooding time, you can re use it for as much as 5 times for 14day cycles. It is made of  thin galvanized plain sheets, so it burns over time as you use it.

Cost: P380 per piece in Cagayan de Oro

Description:  Heater is made of plain sheet, charcoal powered. 

It has own ash collector at the bottom.

How to use it:  Use wood charcoal around 2kls. 

If you start around 9pm it will last around 4am.
Cost to use:  PHP300/sack contains 9kls. 

Approximately PHP67.00/usage 

It Goes Up

The temperature may be very high these days, but we have observed that early mornings in our farm tends to be breezy and cool. Today was no different, so Doc Rey instructed to have several of these drums set inside the brooders. The chicks will have a choice, when they feel warm they go away. But when chilly, they have warmth to run to. The brooders are well ventilated, so there will be no problem of having it too warm.

I have written about this drum in several past postings. You put holes around the drum. Set it atop a base like hollow blocks...so the chicks won't burn if they get pushed towards the drum. When elevated, the chicks may walk around and under :)

Am not sure what was used today, but normally they burn coco shells, wood, rice hull.....fire goes up.

Some are wary about using alternative heaters such as charcoal or burning other materials, as they think the smoke will suffocate the chicks.

See how the smoke goes up? Have you ever seen smoke that bends and goes down? Unless they are seeking ways to escape :) I know.... you have images of burning rooms in movies, where you see smoke crawling under closed doors. Then, eventually once they are out, they go up again.

After the material used had burned...you have charcoal or carbonized rice hull that is perfect for use as bedding material or for your organic vegetable plots.