Here’s the chick brooder my husband built over the weekend. Our tiny chicks were quickly turning into big chicks and needed space that our cardboard box conversion couldn’t provide.
The old brooder (the red box pictures above) served well until they had grown for seven days. It also allowed moisture through the bottom, which was less than ideal.
DIY Chick Brooder
We bought a large plastic container with lockable lid. My husband cut two holes in the lid – one roughly 10″ square, the other 6″. The infrared lamp is about 9″ in diameter so he wanted to be sure and let in all those rays. I’m not entirely sure why he put the other hole in, but I saw it in a book – http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603424695/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1603424695&linkCode=as2&tag=fivelitthome-20 and I’m guessing it allows airflow through the box.
He took 1/2″ square wire mesh he had leftover from screening our rooftop unit (the pigeon droppings are degrading my shingles!) and cut them 2″ wider than each hole. He bought some machine screws with nuts and washers, drilled holes at each corner, and secured the screens in place.
The chicks were elated with their new home, but even more so when we gave them pine shavings instead of shredded financials – they basically bathed in the stuff, flapping their wings and rolling around in it, making a mess as all babies do. Don’t we know it.
Happy Chicks. |
– http://mindbodyandsoleonline.com/herbal-information/74th-wildcrafting-wednesday/
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Cute little babies I’m kinda sad I’m not getting anymore chicks for awhile. Thanks for sharing this on The HomeAcre Hop!!! Can’t wait to see what you share this coming Thursday Here’s the super easy link to the next hop!
http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/02/the-homeacre-hop-8.html – http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/02/the-homeacre-hop-8.html
Love it, what a great design!! We’re getting our first chicks this year, I’m excited. New homesteading territory!
I built one like this three years ago when I started with chickens, only very slightly different.
We made something similar, but used wire ties to hold on screen. Super simple!
I thought newspaper was deadly to chicks because of the ink?
Hmmmm…. I haven’t heard that Corinne! But better safe than sorry! Since writing this post I started using only pine chips and some paper towels on the bottom of the brooder.