What's your chick brooder look like?!

[aart]

Yes, it’s easy to see because the pen is at eye level (purposefully) and it’s easy to lift: very light weight. So far this evening (30* outside) it’s hold steady at 95* in the center. We have three days to test it before new chicks come.

What type and wattage bulbs did you end up getting?

 

[NNYchick]

Mine go from incubator to this brooder:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-brooder-palace.67730/

Then they go out to the coop after about a week:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

I’m moving this next batch out at a week with MHP, if I don’t have a broody to give them to. My first batch I moved out at 4 weeks we are now at 7 weeks and the flock will not let them come out of the portal holes, they chase them right back in. My second group was given to a broody and at 3 weeks they are all over the coop, the flock even lets them jump in the food bowl and just stand around letting them get thier fill.

 

[aart]

My first batch I moved out at 4 weeks we are now at 7 weeks and the flock will not let them come out of the portal holes,

I’m moving this next batch out at a week with MHP

This should work better, gives the adults some times to get used to them being around but not accessible.
I put chicks out at 1 week, then don't open the tiny doors/portals until 4 weeks.

 

[Blooie]

I open the doors during the third week while the adults are outside. The goal is teach the chicks to scoot back in quickly if they have to. It’s kinda like “open the doors, let them out, give them time to explore, then gently herd them back in” several times. Otherwise if they get spooked they just run along the brooder in a panic, often running right past the doors to safety! An adult may wander in from time to time, but it’s not all of them at one time and I’m right there to issue a Mama-like peck on the noggin is the Big gets too rough....reminding her that I am the Mama hen and I will protect my chicks! The first few days they’re only out with supervision. I also have other strategically placed hidey holes that they can fit into but the adults can’t, in case they are too far from the portals. But I’ve never seen a situation where the adults wouldn’t even let the chicks OUT! You’ve stumped me!

 

[aart]

I open the doors during the third week while the adults are outside. The goal is teach the chicks to scoot back in quickly if they have to. It’s kinda like “open the doors, let them out, give them time to explore, then gently herd them back in” several times.

Yeppers, door training!
I try to get just one or two adults in the coop when I do this, lock the rest out in run.

But first, I actually put up a barrier on the other side of the tiny doors for a day or two....give both groups just a bit more exposure before the wide open coop/tiny door training.

 

[NNYchick]

I open the doors during the third week while the adults are outside. The goal is teach the chicks to scoot back in quickly if they have to. It’s kinda like “open the doors, let them out, give them time to explore, then gently herd them back in” several times. Otherwise if they get spooked they just run along the brooder in a panic, often running right past the doors to safety! An adult may wander in from time to time, but it’s not all of them at one time and I’m right there to issue a Mama-like peck on the noggin is the Big gets too rough....reminding her that I am the Mama hen and I will protect my chicks! The first few days they’re only out with supervision. I also have other strategically placed hidey holes that they can fit into but the adults can’t, in case they are too far from the portals. But I’ve never seen a situation where the adults wouldn’t even let the chicks OUT! You’ve stumped me!

I think the problem is that the older ones won’t go out if there is snow on the ground even though I shoveled and put down straw. I do leave the door open so if they choose to go out they can but most of the time they sit in the doorway enjoy the fresh air and sun. I have a dog kennel for the broody and chicks then the dog pen with the older chicks. I think the flock is feeling the stress of the winter and me turning their space into a gated community.

 

[aart]

I think the problem is that the older ones won’t go out if there is snow on the ground even though I shoveled and put down straw. I do leave the door open so if they choose to go out they can but most of the time they sit in the doorway enjoy the fresh air and sun. I have a dog kennel for the broody and chicks then the dog pen with the older chicks. I think the flock is feeling the stress of the winter and me turning their space into a gated community.

Sometimes ya gotta toss 'em out...or shake the rattle can and spread some scratch grains out there.
I'll be that is part of the problem, Cabin Fever.
Do they have a sheltered area out in the run, so they can get out of the wind?

 

[NNYchick]

Sometimes ya gotta toss 'em out...or shake the rattle can and spread some scratch grains out there.
I'll be that is part of the problem, Cabin Fever.
Do they have a sheltered area out in the run, so they can get out of the wind?

I messed up last year and my coop and run are all the same. I miss understood the “fresh air coop” concept. As soon as spring comes we are adding 3 walls to the end for a 8x12 insulated “coop” area, with the nest boxes, a brooder area and to roost in. This is the coop/run 16x8, this will become covered run. I have plastic up on the large areas.

 

[lazy gardener]

I think the problem is that the older ones won’t go out if there is snow on the ground even though I shoveled and put down straw. I do leave the door open so if they choose to go out they can but most of the time they sit in the doorway enjoy the fresh air and sun. I have a dog kennel for the broody and chicks then the dog pen with the older chicks. I think the flock is feeling the stress of the winter and me turning their space into a gated community.

I feed my birds in their "sun room" part of their run any time the temps get up above 20*. I have stock piled dry leaves, and give them a fresh bag of leaves every week or so. Then, just to increase the thrill, I toss some scratch or sprouts into the leaves. Even without those additives, they fill their crops full of the many tree seeds that are in those leaf bags. Breaks up the winter doldrums.

 

[Better Than Rubies]

Here's what my brooder looks like:

I've just got a feeder and raised waterer in there (and the wood that sticks out is enough for a chick to perch on...other than that, they don't have a perch).

And none of them have had a heat lamp probably since they left the stores they were bought at, and they've been just fine. They do, however, as this side picture shows, have a small reptile heating mat underneath their brooder, and that's where they sleep or lie down at, usually (where the cord sticks out).

I need the mesh lid because we have five cats in the house (but they're not that interested in them after the first night, and they only are now when I have the chicks out and they're flapping their wings). But now I really need the lid, as at least three of them can fly out! (The white thing is/was for extra support when one of the kittens got on top of it).

Anyways, mine was pretty much free...we had the large tote already, the mesh lid (from years back of raising chicks a few times), and the heating mat, so, that's a plus! Also, my aunt gave me the four bigger chicks and the feeder and waterer (and two bags of starter/grower); my parents bought another bigger waterer, the big bag of cedar shavings, a little bag of starter feed, and the two little chicks. And we already had the wood that raises the waterer, and the 'blocks' of flooring that are free, pretty samples I picked up from Home Depot years ago. So for me, everything was literally free. It was very nice of them all. <3 And in return, I care for them (they're mine, anyways).
I hope you are able to make your brooder from things you already have...if you haven't made it already yet. =D
Oh, and, we also--albeit it should be temporary--have a run and shelter for them outside (years ago my parents bought it and put it together for our past chickens).
So, yep. Sorry for making this post so long!