Kathy, if you make it 3 feet deep you cannot reach the back and therefore will have all sorts of trouble "catching" birds in there. I have a 3 foot deep brooder already...my big brooder shed with the two levels. I pretty much have to use a stick or net to try to move them towards the front if they are in the back...or climb halfway in myself. I decided on 2 feet by measuring how far my arm could reach easily.
Okay, so let me add this. I like the area provided by my 3 foot deep brooders better. It is a nice squarish area, instead of a long rectangle. They both work fine, but for larger groups I like to put them in the 3 foot deep brooder.
However, if I have to catch them regularly, I put them in the 2 foot deep brooder. My 3 foot deep brooder works fine for my older friendly birds who just need to be locked up temporarily. But for young chicks that will run and squawk and try to get away, it is really hard to catch them.
Thanks, Janelle. I guess it will be a couple more days before I get to this project .... Mike has other plans for a couple days. Preparing for winter .....
LadyHawk, If you would take the dang phone away from your crew my little angels wouldn't be in such mischief. They get all their ideas from yours, because mine started out as perfect angels.