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.

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