New here and new to chickens

[ShawnaSchm74]

Looking for images and possibly plans for a brooder box big enough for 15 chickens.

Thanks for having me here

 

[Ryguy3684]

Welcome to the forum. What kind of chicks are you getting?
Are you planning on brooding them in the house/ garage, or outdoors? I brooded my first batch in my bathroom. I bought one of the brooder kits from mypetchicken.com. It's essentially just cardboard panels that lock together to make the walls. A piece of hardware cloth is a must to make a top so they don't fly out. The kits are nice because they include everything you need to start your chicks off right.
A lot of people, in the garage, use a horse trough.
If you're brooding outdoors, I'm sure someone can post pics.
Again, welcome.

 

[HappyClucker7]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Ryguy3684]

One more thing. It's better to go bigger from the start. If you start small, you'll have to expand as they grow sooo fast. I had to enlarge my set up 2 or 3 times because I didn't start big enough.

 

[Missbc]

I started my 10 chicks with a very large black metal dog crate- the kind with a door on the end and a door on the side plus a pull out bottom fo easy cleaning.

That worked well for a short while, but I quickly realized they needed more room. I added a dog play yard- those 36” high 8-section metal fences that you can form into whatever shape. My play yard came with a poly top. Since I was brooding in the basement I didn’t worry about predators.

That was nearly big enough for all of them until they were ready to spend nights in the coop. It’s shocking how quickly you run out of room in your brooder.

previously, I’d used an old crib converted to a brooder for about 8? or so. Quickly became too small.

(this year, I used two broody hens. All the joy, zero mess/fuss)