Improved Cardboard Box Brooder with Lid
From Roger in Spokane, WA, January 2010
This 10 square-foot brooder serves about 20 chicks for 4 weeks, 15 chicks for 6 weeks, or 10 chicks for 8 weeks. The costs shown are for all new materials. Improvise to save more. Brooder for less than $12Tape the bottoms of two extra large moving boxes (2’ x 2’ x 18” from U-Haul). Insert the open flaps of one top into the other top until the flaps just overlap. Tape all seams of these flaps, inside and out, on the 2’ wide bottom and 18” sides [A]. Remove the remaining top flaps. Combined, the box is now 2’ wide, 18” deep and 4’-10” long. Cut away the top of the box, leaving a 4-inch wide perimeter [B]. Line the bottom with paper towels for traction and extra absorbance then add 2” of non-aromatic (dried pine or aspen) wood shavings. Set the water and food dispensers (add about $10) on a patio blocks at one end of the box [C]. Center a heat lamp (another $10) over the other end, suspending it so that it doesn’t touch anything flammable and the height can be adjusted to regulate temperature in the box [D].
Lid for less than $10Keep the chicks in and cats out of the brooder with this simple lid made of a ½” hardware cloth (2’ x 5’) and two pine boards (1” x 2” x 8’). From each board, cut one 5’ length and one 2’ length. Make a rectangle of the boards, resting the wide ends of each long piece on the narrow edge of each short piece. Drill pilot holes to prevent splitting and secure the boards with screws. Staple the hardware cloth to the top of the frame. (For extra strength, add an optional 2’ brace across the top-center.) The length of the finished frame will rest on top of the box and the width will just overhang the edge, helping to keep it in place [D].
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Please note that the information provided on this web site "www.birdsale.com.au" is provided "as is", without any warranty whatsoever. BirdSale.com.au does not accept liability for any loss or damage arising out of the construction or use of the equipment displayed on this website and disclaims all warranties and conditions, either express or implied, including, without limitation, warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. We have not built or used any of these items and cannot comment on or make any guarantees about their reliability or their safety. It is up to the builder to consult an electrician for this advice and assistance if the builder has no prior experience and expertise with electrical work. BirdSale.com.au have done no more than a search for construction plans on your behalf, and displayed the results in a convenient format for you to make your own judgement as to its suitability for your purposes, for which you accept total responsibility for.