Very nice job! It is important to be able to reach all areas of the inside of the brooder if necessary (for cleaning, gathering chicks, eggs, etc.) Also think about how comfortable you will be bending over it to clean it (why I raised mine off the ground) and keeping the lid open while doing so (I have hooks suspended above the lids that attach to the handle on the door as needed.) They will want to fly up to the edge when you open the top. Mine do it all the time and want to be petted or to sit on my shoulders. I divided the top into 2 doors so that I can manage the area when open.
My chickens are 21 weeks old today and STILL in the brooder, as we have not finished building the coop yet (hopefully soon - hubby is out there today trimming out the rest of the windows.) Did I expect them to still be in there at this stage and laying eggs - nope, but things happen. I now have two 26-week old D'Anvers in a cage, sixteen 21-week old assorted chickens in the brooder, 7 newly hatched chicks in a makeshift brooder (bottom of dog crate), and 12 more eggs in the incubator that are due to hatch any day. I use a Brinsea EcoGlow in my brooders for the first 5-8 weeks, and don't have to worry about anything catching fire, raising or lowering heat lamps, or higher electricity bills.
