what are good ideas for non-expensive brooders?

[Sunny Side Up]

Nothing beats a good ol' cardboard box for a brooder! And if you can't find one big enough just duct-tape 2 or 3 together. When they get dirty, just fold them flat & place wherever you need to block weeds from growing.

Since we're in sunny South Florida I kick my chicks out into the grass during the daytime as soon as I can, at 1-2 weeks of age, as soon as the baby newness wears off, as soon as they lose their original egg-shapes. I have a collection of protective arks I've made from discarded bird and rabbit cages to protect the chicks while they are in the yard. Then I bring them into their brooder boxes at night.

You can also do great things with ventilated wire shelving and make neat frames in which to keep chicks safe.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

I get free shipping crates off of craigslist. In fact I picked up 2 this week from a lab that their equipment was shipped in. Built very rugged. I made a door with 2 windows on one end, cut out a large vent in the top, and another hole in the top for the heat source. With the hinges and latches, I have 5 bucks in a 48"Wx36"Lx18"D brooder. In fact my week old chicks are in it now.

Marty

 

[MandyH]

We use galvanized horse troughs. EASY to clean, won't catch on fire (my hatching house burnt to the ground when a plastic trough burned this year). I LOVE them.

 

[The Sheriff]

I use the bathtub in my downstairs bathroom. No human has ever used it so why not put chickens in it?

 

[AZKat]

I used an old wire dog kennel, and zip-tied hardware cloth on the sides to keep the chicks from getting out.

 

[vabrown1]

i used a fridge box for the first three weeks, then changed to two boxes and just rotated the chicks from box to box. you can get two brooders from one box

 

[chooniecat]

altho I am all about cheap also and I use an old rubbermaid tote for first week or so, be careful with the brooder lamp as it can melt the plastic and make TOXIC fumes. I then move them to big wire dog kennel but that has issues as they escape thru the sides(I put up couple inches of cardboard to keep em in) I also have just propped a 3'x5' piece of plywood against wall(with couple of cinder blocks pushed against it to keep it from falling) and I personally use newspaper because of $ and they don't slip and slide as I have heard(been lucky?)you have to watch out for pets in their area as they can cause trouble(I keep them in my bedroom for 1st week and my animals IGNORE them) GOOD LUCK!

 

[Sissy]

small card board box. toss it after use.
Large large box with double 4" layers of old news paper roll
up the paper when soiled and use and reuse. .
until u need another one.

 

[Coopedup:p]

cardboard boxes sound good. there are lots around. but the only thing is that they fall apart when they get water and other stuff on it. haha. but the kiddie coop sounds cool too

 

[HBuehler]

About the reflector light from Walmart for around $6.00 that is a very cheap light and if you read on it max wattage is 125 or 150 which is fine as long as it's inside with a normal light bulb.DON'T forget and put it outside or anywhere with the big 250 watt red brooder-or clear brooder light it will catch on fire.Spend a little more and buy one with a ceramic socket that can handle 250 watts then you don't have to remember.If you are unsure about how much your light can handle just remember the ceramic vs plastic socket.
We normally brood ours outside in our brooders but have a bunch that has lived for a week in that XL long runnermade container very happily with a 90 watt lightbulb as other posters have said they will get hot and melt.You can stick the chicks in a box for a few minutes take it out and hose it down sun it to dry and all stink is gone-cardboard picks up the chick odor real quick even if it's dry..just because my chicks are cute I don't think they smell very good