What size wire is recommended for brooder floors?

[azygous]

Many of us have successfully brooded chicks outdoors this past year using the heating pad/cave system. Unless your low temps are down in the minuses, you might look into the heating pad as your heat source. That way, your chicks will regulate their own heat needs, and the rest of the time, they can play in the dirt is their tractor run.

See the thread here on this forum, "Mama Heating pad in the Brooder."

 

[triple j farms]

I am in north Alabama. So my temps are usually pretty good.

 

[lazy gardener]

I also thought about building a chicken tractor with the box being used for the brooder. That way they can get outside to. But would the ground be to cold even if I put shavings in the box. Of course there is going to be a light inside.

I built a 3 x 6 tractor which doubles as a brooder. The first year, I brooded in the basement in the tractor. The second year, I brooded in the garage in the tractor. Now, I brood in my old coop with the MHP system, but that tractor gets a lot of use. It's brooded 2 batches of chicks, and served as a broody pen this summer. I had my babies trained to run to the tractor every morning. I've also trained babies to a cat carrier. Makes it super easy to transport them.