Awhile back there was an article on BYC about table top/table high brooders. Instead of coming in from above to clean, add feed and water basically you come in from the side and at the same height as the chicks. I can't find the article now for the life of me but it talked about how much calmer the chicks were because they were not being approached from above. It made so much sense I thought I'd try it. IT WORKS, lol. My new lings are so calm and they don't scramble when I open the side. If I try to reach over they run. YAY for whoever wrote the article
