What do you guys recommend as a brooder?

[Bryce Thomas]

So this is my 2nd round of raising chicks and my eggs are day 5 and my 1st time I used a cardboard box that was 2.5ft tall and 3 by 3 ft long and it lasted them until week 6 until they could jump out and were then moved outdoors then into the main flock and are living happily.

So I want to hear your guys opinion on what I should use this time, I hear a horse/cow water trough like the big metal ones at shoppers work pretty well, any ideas? Thanks!

 

[MysteryChicken]

I use large plastic storage totes.

 

[Iluveggers]

How many chicks?

 

[Bryce Thomas]

How many chicks?

5, hopefully hens

 

[Iluveggers]

I used a watermelon bin for 15 chicks. They had plenty of space for 4 weeks! If you need pictures, let me know!

 

[WendyTestaburger]

I used a watermelon box with a big window screen for a top and a big tarp with handles under it for my first hatch. For field trips outside I had bought a foldable chicken pen off Amazon and it's been really useful. Now I have chicks from the hatchery set up in the pen in the garage and when they're ready to start integrating with the big girls I'll put it in the run for the see but no touch method.

 

[CKfarm22]

I use large plastic storage totes.

We also use this method and just up the size of the tote when they get bigger

 

[MysteryChicken]

We also use this method and just up the size of the tote when they get bigger

I move them to the Prefab coop once they out grow the Brooder.

 

[CKfarm22]

I move them to the Prefab coop once they out grow the Brooder.

We did too eventually. Our chicken coop wasn’t quite done when they were ready to be moved.

 

[Ryguy3684]

I use one of these pet playpens from Amazon. We made a hardware cloth lid. It's probably a bit much if you rarely have chicks, but we hatch several full incubators a year. It sets up in the garage nicely. The ones we keep move out to the grow out pen in the run once they're old enough. I know a lot of people on here use big plastic totes and are happy with them. The clear wall panels work well because my Beagle gets mad if she can't see the chicks. They're her babies.