I had nine babies in a big box on the floor of my chicken coop with an animal playpen around it to keep the others out. I was so tired of leaning over the playpen to take care of them, not to mention the floor space it took up. I got a drawer out of an old chest, screwed it to the wall at just the right height and used an old screen for a cover. I can plug in the heat lamp and fasten it right above the drawer. Now I don't have to bend down, floor space back for the others and when I'm finished down it will come. And it will be coming down too. Ugly.
Good idea, getting it off the ground. Though I wonder if my cardboard and duct tape brooder might vie for ugliest brooder. It's not even one box, but several taped together. Now the sides are ragged from the girls leaning over to grab the chicks out. This is *not* going to work in a couple weeks when they can get off the ground!
Great idea or the first couple of weeks. You need to be thinking ahead to when the birds get a little older. They will likely outgrow the drawer very quickly. It is amazing how fast they grow.
