Anyone successfully made a portable brooder-coop?

[Say-ruh]

I was thinking of making one soon for my next batch of babies in the spring. I’d like to get them on grass as soon as possible but also be able to keep them close by an electric outlet for their heater (or hot plate). Then when it’s time to introduce them to the older girls, I can let them forage in their portable brooder next to the main coop. Has anyone done this & if so, how well did it work? TIA!

 

[birdlover2]

I was thinking of making one soon for my next batch of babies in the spring. I’d like to get them on grass as soon as possible but also be able to keep them close by an electric outlet for their heater (or hot plate). Then when it’s time to introduce them to the older girls, I can let them forage in their portable brooder next to the main coop. Has anyone done this & if so, how well did it work? TIA!

I don't know about a portable coop/brooder, but my mother has a peck-and-play portable run made of a kind of tent mesh. This sounds like a good idea, hope you get some helpful input!

 

[Aunt Angus]

I just used a small animal cage (a pretty big one) with a DIY mama heating pad that I just put in the coop. When I took them outside, I just took off the cage bottom and plunked it on the grass. In this pic, it's lined with bird netting because they are bantams, and when I got them as day olds, they could squeeze through the bars!

 

[Say-ruh]

I just used a small animal cage (a pretty big one) with a DIY mama heating pad that I just put in the coop.

That’s a good idea! How did you make the DIY heating pad?

 

[Aunt Angus]

That’s a good idea! How did you make the DIY heating pad?

Ohmygosh! You can search BYC for it, but I'll see if I can find one. I'll look now.

 

[Aunt Angus]

That’s a good idea! How did you make the DIY heating pad?

Here's where I got the idea for mine:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

I used a bit of welded wire, an old pillow case and puppy training pads, and a heating pad with NO auto shut off. I LOVE it, and I will never use anything else for brooding babies.

Here's a pic or two where you can kinda see mine (please ignore the poop):

 

[BuckeyeAmy69]

Yep, my son built this one for me. He builds custom chicken tractors. As well as a ton of other things!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-chick-chalet.75684/

 

[Flockincrazy]

I made my brooder from a shipping crate and blocked off part of it and plant grass in it the grass boxes come in and out I have 3 of them let the grass grow in them and change them out when they have picked through them

 

[Say-ruh]

Yep, my son built this one for me. He builds custom chicken tractors. As well as a ton of other things!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-chick-chalet.75684/

That’s an awesome little coop!

 

[BuckeyeAmy69]

That’s an awesome little coop!

Thank you, I'll tell him you said so!