I needed a brooder for Dutch Hookbill ducklings for my classroom so I built one with an in-ground pool. Everyone complains about ducklings making the brooder wet but I think if you give them water to swim in and the correct waterers it really helps. So, the one end was built to have a bus boy tub sunken in it as a pool (I use a brick or rock as a step to get out).
The middle is half inch hardware cloth so spilled food, water, and waste goes through to trays lined with puppy pads. When the ducklings were small I covered the hardware cloth with puppy pads so it didn’t bother their feet.
The farthest end from the pool is sunken about an inch with a solid floor so it can hold shavings for sleeping in.
I cut a piece of corrugated plastic to cover the pool when the ducklings couldn’t be supervised or needed to rest (always start ducklings out slowly and increase swim time and frequency as they get older).
I also hatch chicks in my classroom and it worked great for them too with the pool covered.
I used scrap wood and plexiglass so my cost was around $100.
