The big cheese hatch-a-long

[ChickenChick46]

If I can convince my husband to let me devote shed space... I'd like to build it into the new shed but make it so I can convert it to a workbench against the wall when not in use. Then it won't feel like we wasted the area and materials. I quick drew it out so you can get an idea.

View attachment 4190209

That would be awesome! Any time you can have something serve more than one function, that's a win in my book.

 

[TwoCrows]

If you need something temporary for this hatch, you could use two XL dog cages put together so they have double room to run when they get the zoomies.
I put cardboard around the inside along the bottom halfway up and on the inside of the door. This keeps the little one from getting through and also keeps the shavings inside.
We usually find these cages at yard sales or second hand stores.

I did that one year, 2 dog crates wired together. It sat in the living room under the TV. Hubby was thrilled. NOT! Shavings everywhere.

 

[CrazyForMyPeeps802]

Let's grow Cheese chickies!
Let's go Colby!

 

[GreenJay]

My brooder is also two large dog crates cobbled together with zip ties and wire. The box that a garden wagon came in was a perfect size to set the crates in to stabilize the setup. Those box sides are just high enough to keep most (not all!) of the shavings inside. I use large pieces of cardboard to make the floor inside the brooder.

I make a couple of temporary walls out of cardboard to contain the babies to the middle area (easier to nab them for checking) and remove walls as they grow to expand their area.

And to keep little chick heads in and nosy cat paws out, I wrapped window screening around the outside of the brooder.