Brooder for 5 Chicks - Ideas Needed

[bvak123]

So much of what I read talks about brooders for larger flocks. I will only have 5 chicks so I was hoping they would fit in a smaller box. I worry if I make it too big one might wander off and fall asleep in the cold. I saw somewhere to use a small box and when the chicks are a bit bigger tape a 2nd box together and cut a door between the two. Again I worry that one side will have no heat and could be unhealthy if they don't find their way back in time. Am I just worrying too much? Any Ideas on small brooders and heat management welcomed.

 

[ajhaig]

For my 4 day olds, I found a long box about 4 ft by 18 inches x 18 inches, lined the bottom with paper towels which I changed about 1 or 2 x a day. Used the plastic feeder and waterer that uses mason jars, put a bamboo pole across into some holes and put a wire cover over it. That lasted till they were about 2-3 wks old. I hung my clamp lamp with a red 250 watt bulb from a rope from the ceiling so it could be adjusted as needed. Put a digital therm under on the bottom.
Then I found a giant box, approx 5' x 3' x4' tall, put rice hulls in it along with the other food and water containers - elevated to keep clean from rice hulls, and hung my lamp over it. Also a roosting pole along one corner. I take them out daily if it isn't raining to a separate pen from my 3 grown layers, shuffling them into a wicker basket to transport. Food and water always provided.
But now I am worried about merging them with the older hens, one of whom is acting very hostile and aggressive.
Will have to research it.
Best of luck.
BTW, they know how to keep warm if there is a lamp, they won't stray if they need to get warm.

 

[ShockValue]

I was going to use the door method between 2 boxes, but found when I undid the seams on the sides of them that they matched up and made a nice octagonal shape. This was for 8 chicks.

If you skip to the very end of this video you can see what I mean:

2 boxes, and some extra cardboard taped to the bottom to fill the gap.

I'm new, so I don't know if this is the perfect brooder, but they seem to be doing well!

 

[krieglee]

I have mine in an unused dog kennel with a large heat lamp and towel and a small cardboard box i made into a house just off from the light so it will heat the inside, chicks seem to love it. As long as they can walk for a few seconds they will be fine in a bigger box. They know where the heat is and stay nearby or retreat back when they feel cold.

 

[Cacique500]

We raised 5 chicks in this - it's one of the collapsible doggy play pens ($40 - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ABO2JW/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 )...the top can zip up so they don't fly out. I also decided last minute to skip the heat lamp and went with the Brinsea Ecoglow to minimize fire potential. They stayed in this until they went outside to big coop. Bottom was filled with construction sand which made it very easy to clean. Here's a video of them in it: