How to Make an Easy to Clean and Reusable Chick Brooder

I saw something like these online when looking up how to build Chick brooders. I really loved them this Chick season because they're real easy to clean and sanitize. I recommend making at least two so you can switch them out for cleanings.

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Supplies:

Two 50 gal tubs/totes (I bought mine at Walmart for around $19 each - I really recommend buying the less hardcore ones with the thinner plastic)
Box cutter
Hardware cloth (or similar, chicken wire or even an old window screen will work), but you might as well buy a roll of the half inch if you're gonna make your own coop or something! It's handy stuff)
Drill (or exacto knife)
Zip ties (or nuts and bolts)

Firstly you need your totes, go to Walmart, or wherever the closest store to get cheap totes would be, stat!

Grab your box cutter and get to cuttin’. You may or may not want to draw some guide on your lid first. One thing I would change about the hole I cut in my lid is to put it on one side or the other and not directly in the middle.

Now, drill some holes, or use your exacto, around the opening so you can attach the hardware cloth (or chicken wire, or whatever) to the lid with whatever means you desire.

@bchick asked me a good question:

"Why can't you just lay whatever grating you use on top of the hole? What is the point of attaching it? Wouldn't it weaken the plastic?"

My Reply: Attaching the hardware cloth to the lid makes it one nice neat unit. If you have a cat or dog or whatever, then they can't get into it. If you wanted to just lay whatever over, no point in making a hole in the lid. You could just lay it over the whole opening of the tub. The plastic's integrity isn't really a huge factor in this case. We're just making a nice removable lid that also clips down.

Next time I make one, I plan to just use zip ties to attach. This nut and bolt way is more work than it's worth… and it's not so pretty.

ALL IN ALL that's basically it! So simple it's a little silly!

Now all you need is bedding, feeder and feed, watered and water, and CHICKS! Now that you have all that, you are ready! Here's my Chick set up. They get puppy pee pads until they're about three weeks old, then I switch out to pine shavings, prop the food and water on top of something, and they're in there until they've got their feathers. Then they go oooouuttsiiiide!

Please excuse the less than stellar pic!

@bchick asked another great question in regards to why I use Puppy Pee Pads:

"I just started off with the pine shavings. Do you do this because it is neater or safer?"

My Reply: I used puppy pads for a couple reasons. I read that sometimes chicks will eat the shavings and die. Lol and I'm a worry wort. So I just took that extra precaution.

The main reason is that it's about a bajillion times easier to clean. Just roll up the pads and toss. I'm all about ease and efficiency. The easier I can make something on myself, the more likely I won't put the task off for too long.

So I guess because it's both neater and safer. :)

These little brooders have multiple birdy uses! They can brood any poultry! In fact, they brood my gucklings just fine! There were some things that I added to make duckling brooding easier. Making holes in the side of the totes with an exacto knife, I was able to add wire in order to stabilize some containers I fashioned into waterers and one to hold grit, onto the walls of the brooder. It really is working quite well!

One more thing I would add is WHEELS!

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