A brooder is essentially a home for your chicks that mimics a mother hen. Here is how you can make a DIY chick brooder
In nature, a mother hen is the heat source for her chicks. She gathers them under her wings to warm and protect them.
Chicks need the protection as they are entirely helpless, and they need the heat because they won't be able to control their body heat until they grow feathers.
When you raise chicks without a mother hen, you will need to set up a brooder for them to live in.
Here is how you can make a DIY chick brooder, and all the items a brooder needs.
Chick Brooder Necessities
- Heat - Either a heat lamp, or heat plate.
- Bedding - For warmth and proper leg development.
- Water - Must be supplied through a safe dish (prevents drowning).
- Feed - Chick feed.
- Shelter - Your brooder needs a bottom and sides to protect, and contain your chicks.
- Thermometer - Used to monitor heat.
These are the bare minimum items you need in a chick brooder.
Optional Brooder Items
- Roost Bar - Teaches chicks how to roost.
- Chick Grit - Can aid in food digestion.
- Dust Bath - Chicks love to scratch and peck at dirt.
- Boredom Busters - Chicks can get bored in their brooders.
Brooder Space Requirements
Chicken coops need to be made a certain size depending on how many chickens you plan to keep. Brooders also need to give your chicks plenty of room.
While giving chicks enough room in a brooder is important, I do not think it is as crucial as a coop. Brooders are temporary and chicks only need them for the first 8 weeks of their lives.
My chick brooder is made with a small kitty pool about 5 feet wide. This would comfortably hold around ten chicks until they are ready for the coop.
A good rule of thumb is, about 2 square feet of space per chicken. If your brooder is too small your chicks will get bored and peck at each other.
Preparing A DIY Brooder
It is good to prepare your brooder a few days before getting your chicks. Set it up to make sure everything is working well.
Here is how I set up my brooder.
Assemble The Brooder
First I get my base of the brooder. This could be a kitty pool, tote, or a metal basin.
Add some sides to your brooder. I always use carboard boxes as the sides of my brooder.
These boxes will prevent your chicks from escaping, and it will hold in heat. I also use them as supports for my heat lamp.
Add In Bedding
What type of bedding you use in your brooder is very important. If you want to know the best bedding to use, read this post.
I always add a layer of pine shavings to the bottom of my brooder. This will help your chicks keep their footing preventing falls and leg issues.
The pine shavings also absorb moisture and smells. Make this first layer of bedding around 2 inches deep.
Add Your Heat Lamp
Now it is time to add your heat lamp and thermometer to the brooder. Here is a handy chart to print and keep on your brooder for temperature requirements.
Move the heat lamp up and down and give it a few hours to adjust until you get the desired heat. Always use a red light bulb in your lamp.
Add Food And Water Dispensers
You can now add in your food and water dishes and put your chicks in the brooder. When I add day old chicks to my brooder I heat my water to 95oF to prevent shock.
FAQ
Here are some common chick brooder questions.
Where Should I Put My Brooder
I always place my brooder in the garage, but I slide cardboard under the brooder to prevent heat loss.
Can I Have A Chick Brooder Indoors
Yes, you can place the brooder indoors, but all the dust and odor will be indoors. After 2 weeks of age the dust and smell will be more noticeable.
If you need to keep your chicks indoors to keep them warm, I recommend placing them in your basement.
How Often Should I Clean My Brooder
Once or twice a week I add in another layer of pine shavings to freshen it up. If your brooder is smelling nasty, you can clean out the old shavings.
I also clean my water dish every two days to prevent any sickness.
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