What do you use for an Indoor brood box

This spring was my first foray into chicks. I bought an extra large dog crate, and lined it with cardboard, as the bars are far enough apart for the baby chicks to fit through. If I need to have a brooder again, there it is. Six chicks lived in it until they were about 5-6 weeks old, no problem.

Yes, it was $85. But I have other uses for a large dog crate besides as a brooder, or even for a dog, so it was a good investment. One use that I have every year is to harden off seedlings for the garden. They're safe from rabbits or birds, and I can throw a sheet over it to diffuse the sun, or a blanket to hold in warmth at night.
 
I have a ~4' x 5.5' section in my (powered) shed where we frequently do plant starts before hardening them off and placing in the dirt. I put a 6x8 tarp in there, a bit up 3 sides, and hang the front edge off some screw in hooks. Good for a couple weeks, then I move them to the grow out pen (~6.5x10) in the barn (not powered - unless I run an extension cord), but well sheltered.
 
I used kiddie pools lined with a plastic shower curtain and wrapped around 2-3ft cage wire. Filled with pine flakes and when the flakes were dirty, folded up the liner and dumped the shaving on the compost heap. Sprayed off any poo with the hose, dry, and laid back in the pool. I had two pools this way, pushed together and a little doorway in between the cage wire with a little ramp. I had little doors so I could just usher the chicks from one pool to the other to clean.

EDIT to add pics:
25846A3A-4ADD-4179-B5BF-A0518A1AEAD0.jpeg

4F903D26-C61F-4C06-8AC2-A6C5124A7245.jpeg
 
Last edited:

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom