I think I made a mistake …

[FunClucks]

You know those large boxes they have at the grocery store that they keep watermelons and pumpkins in? I got one of those for my grow-out pen. Put several layers of cardboard over the entire bottom (to cover up the hole), placed it on a tarp, and put a piece of hardware cloth over the top and weighed it down with 2"x4" and firewood. Granted this was in my garage. I used a heat lamp and changed the height to change the temp and just made sure it was secure at the right height to avoid fire by checking with meat thermometers. Heating pad setup instead of light is perfect for cardboard brooders. I grew out 10 chickens at a time in a box like that to 4-6 weeks old. Weeks 2-3 or so they could fly up to the edge no problem whenever I opened the brooder to change food, water, and bedding, but they liked to just sit there and look around. They perched on me a lot and I got to pet them.

Good luck!

 

[Kalthia]

they can go out when fully feathers, usually 4-5 weeks old. start taking them out for brief periods daily and have them weaned from heat by the time they go to coup. Looks like you are brooding indoors, in a cozy room. As long as they are sheltered from draft, at 2-2.5 weeks start reducing heat and work toward taking it away during the day. Goal is by 4 weeks, assuming fully feathered, they can huddle and provide each other the heat they need. That huddle box you show in the pic is great for in the coop, too
I’m sure others can weigh in with their advice on weaning from heat.

Thanks! I put the box in there just to have some straw in there and give them something else to do besides pecking and pooping LOL. It is only 46 out today - makes me nervous - hoping it will warm up soon. We do have the brooder heat thing that can be set up in the coop - which is still being built! (well really painted before we put it together).

 

[K0k0shka]

Broodies tend to hatch their chicks out in the spring, when it's still cold most places and even snows in northern areas. But the chicks are fine! As long as they have their heat source, they'll be fine, they can go out now. One year my broody hatched chicks in a snowstorm in April. The chicks were out within days, exploring the world. They know to go under when they need to recharge, but they don't need to have heat on them at all times.