Decided it was time to build a new chicken brooder.  Up until now I have used old watermelon boxes from the supermarket but those didn't last the longest and I wanted something a little sturdier.  

I drew up some "plans" one morning after taking measurements where I wanted it to fit.  Here's my super scientific plans.



I have a guy I know who gives me free shipping skids.  Will be building this project entirely out of those.  I have some chicken wire in the bark to use also.  All told, I have about $9 into this project for hinges and screws.

Bad side of the free wood is having to break them down and sometimes dealing with pieces like this.    I usually just cut these pieces off instead of dealing with removing nails



Built my base and made sure it was square



Start adding pieces for the walls



Hmm maybe I should have spent more time on my plans?   At this point I was hoping it would work out like I hoped



Here's where it sits now, I'm taking a lunch break.   Will post more when I finish it up

Looking great!

I've often wondered if in-floor heating of a brooder with a PID controller would be more ideal than the old heat lamp method. Then you could use cool running LEDs for the actual light.

I may just find out one day...

thanks!

I used to use a heat lamp and a heated floor plate in my old brooders and let them choose what they liked.  seemed some liked the heat under them and some liked the lamps.  I've heard oe people mounting heat plates on the walls in their brooder to get an even heat too

Word of of advice before you get too much further... Get some good glue, or liquid nails, or a construction adhesive and apply to all your joints, and seal the wood with either paint or water sealer, something, anything to protect it... I may have to copy this idea, my old brooder, ( which I did not glue, or seal ) only lasted about three years... Love the plans, most of mine a draw on napkins at the bar lol...

Good idea about the glue, I overlooked it and am a little too far gone for that now.

It will be getting painted with whatever extra stuff I have in the shop to try to protect it some.

I can't decide whether I want to do half solid walls with the upper half chicken wire or make the walls all solid and just the top chicken wire. Want to make sure they have ventilation but also stay warm. Brooder will be in the barn so wind isn't in the picture.

I would use hardware cloth on the sides for a bit of natural air flow.

I've lost chicks due to them being small enough to get their heads stuck in regular chicken wire... 

ETA: Another reason for using cloth is that if/when they get cold, or they just feel like it, the chicks will smash themselves into corners (a round pen is ideal, but anyway). The chicks by the wall will usually get smothered to death. Having ventilated (ideally rounded) sides has dramatically decreased smothering fatalities in my experience.

Good point

I use only hardware cloth on my outside coops and runs so I have a ton of that leftover too I can use