Turn entertainment Center into Brooder?

[QuirkySue]

Saw this free on Craigslist this morning... I'm thinking of picking it up and trying to DIY a shanty town style brooder out of it since my hubs is too busy at work to build me something right now and my Easter hatchalong chicks are on the way. I have access to some basic tools, some scrap wood, a new roll of hardware cloth and if needed plenty of duct tape.


What would YOU do to this? I don't have any measurements but it looks like it would be a fairly good size and has room for levels, ladders and perches to make it feel a little bigger. The bottom looks a little short, maybe a foot or so high.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I'd take those shelves and the divider out on top. Probably make a door over half for easy access and hardware clothe the other half (close the back in completely and add a lip on the front to keep shavings in). The bottom could be left as is for storage of chick things.

That really would make a great set up for chick tv! You could even use the bottom for smaller batches of chicks, but they wouldn't be able to stay in there long. That looks like a score!
Nikki

 

[QuirkySue]

Well, I still haven't heard back from them so I guess it's gone. Too bad, because I really like it and the price was right. (FREE)

I did find a different one though, a tall cabinet 22" deep x 34" wide and 69" high! It's 25$, and an hour drive instead of 20 minutes but it'll do. By nighttime tomorrow I should have a big ol hunk of junk here that I can make into a super brooder!

I think I want to keep it upright like that, to take up less room. I'm really needing suggestions on how to make it work. The bottom I'll keep as is and store the food and shavings. Can I make the whole upper portion one section with a ladder up to a higher level and some perches or will the chicks injure themselves falling down? Where would you position the heat lamp and food? I've looked at dozens of photos but most are laid horizontal.

 

[QuirkySue]

I'm still not sure what I want to do with this cabinet. Keep it vertical? Change it to horizontal...? And if it does lay flat then should i make it one big section or split it in half? The doors alllllmost fit the other direction. Hubs would have to help a little to make it work.
Definitely popping out the paper thin plywood in the doors and covering it in small hardware cloth. I have just enough to make this thing work.

Accidentally bought a 5'x36" piece of 1/2" mesh so at least it'll be used. What good is five feet of anything?!? That'll teach me to read it properly before buying!

 

[swga]

you could cut holes in the upper shelves and lay ladders from the lower shelves up, as long as they weren't steep, and just cover the entire front in hardwire cloth. I'd try to figure out a way to hinge it so you could just swing at least a portion open for access to clean.
You could use a clip-on lamp or hang the lamp outside for the heat source. You don't really need a heat lamp, just a normal bulb will heat up plenty with the metal heat shade.
You do need to allow a space for the chicks to get away from the heat if they get too hot- the distance they move from the heat lamp is how they regulate their temperature.