Raising chicken chicks on your own is not an easy task. In this case, for the first few weeks, the mother hen is replaced by a device in the form of a box, in which they eat, warm themselves, and grow. If you want to make such a brooder for chickens with your own hands, then study the drawings or photographs provided and follow the instructions.

Raising chickens is not an easy task.

Advantages

Homemade brooders, which are built by poultry farmers for chickens, are characterized by the following advantages:

• determining the size by the number of heads;
• cost savings;
• original author's design (optional).

Materials

A chicken brooder is often made using scrap materials: boxes, old bedside tables, fragments of barrels. However, to make the frame and other parts, it is better to use new, high-quality products:

• wooden boards or beams;
• sanded plywood;
• thick cardboard.

Chick brooder

Additionally you will need:

• mesh fragments (cell size no more than 15 by 12 mm);
• metal corners;
• hinges on the doors.

Homemade brooders that are built for chicks need precision. To ensure that the doors close tightly and there are no gaps between the walls, carefully mark them.

Tools

• saw;
• hammer;
• screwdriver;
• pliers, wire cutters;
• self-tapping screw;
• tape measure or centimeter;
• emery;
• pencil, paper for marking.

To make a brooder for chickens, you will need work skills hand tools, ability to build and read blueprints.

Standards

Requirements for housing for chicks:

• warm;
• light;
• dry;
• well ventilated.

Remember that each device is equipped with a tray to collect litter. The brooders you are planning to make for chickens come in several basic versions.

It is better to use high-quality materials to make a brooder.

Option 1

• two square sheets of plywood or multi-layer cardboard 1 cm thick and measuring 2 by 2 m;
• fine mesh;
• screws (or nails);
• door hinges – 4;
• slats or bars;
• metal corners.

Instructions:

• cut the sheets into 2 equal parts, three are the top, bottom and back wall;
• cut the fourth in half (the sides of the device);
• using self-tapping screws and corners, assemble the body;
• knock down two frames from the bars onto the floor and stretch them over one mesh;
• Place pieces of slats above the floor on the side walls and place the frame on them;
• attach sheets of plastic or linoleum to the second frame and place it on the floor under the first frame;
• partially attach the remaining bars to the frame, partially assemble them in the form of doors and stretch the material with cells over them;
• install a limiter on the doors so that they do not open inward, and latches; attach to the bars on the frame.

Option 2

It differs from the previous one in greater simplicity of design and assembly. It is also characterized by legs that create convenience in caring for pets. The materials are the same, but with a larger number of bars (slats):

• assemble frames for the lower and upper parts;
• using side slats, connect the frames and construct a frame;
• the floor, back and sides are made of solid pieces of plywood;
• vertically connect the top and bottom in the middle with a block or lath;
• assemble the device using screws or nails;
• attach the mesh to the front, nail four bars in the form of legs to the sides;
• cut the plywood doors and install them using hinges top part;
• don't forget to attach the latches.

Option 3

This device has a glass lid and is heated by hot water. Well suited for summer days, so that its residents can bask in the closed part if it gets cold, and go out into the sun's rays. The drawing shows the division of the box space into 2 parts.

To make it, take:

• ready-made long box or standard materials;
• organic glass;
• metal loops;
• mesh material;
• self-tapping screws;
• canister;
• fragments of fabric.

DIY chicken brooder

Observe the indicated dimensions and sequence of actions:

• assemble the frame in a known way;
• mark two segments in a box or assembled case;
• make double walls 15 cm above the floor in the closed part;
• nail the holders for the canister to them;
• make a frame from slats and insert glass;
• install holders for the frame in the open part along the walls, select the angle of inclination and attach it with hinges to the slats above the double wall;
• attach the side door on its hinges, vent with a mesh it is better to do it on the side;
• install the lid, fill the space between the walls with insulating material (sawdust, rags);
• hang a screen between two segments;
• canister with hot water place on the holders and put a layer of cotton wool or rags on top, cover with a lid.

Lighting and temperature

Violations temperature regime influence the behavior and well-being of young animals. If the inhabitants of the device have enough warmth, then they move around the perimeter, are mobile, and do not lose their appetite. At low temperatures, they squeak, worry, and huddle in groups near heat sources to keep warm.

In the first 14 days of life, chicks need 24-hour light.

For one-day-old babies, a temperature of 29–30 degrees Celsius is suitable. After seven days, it is recommended to reduce it to 26 degrees, and month-old young animals feel good at 18. For small broilers, these figures are 2-3 units higher. However, excessive heating will also negatively affect the health of pets. Monitor the thermometer readings. To prevent abnormal temperatures, also install a power regulator.

In the first 14 days of life, chicks need 24-hour light. Then this figure decreases to 14–17 hours for meat breeds and to 8 for egg breeds. With lower indicators, the young animals feel worse and develop more slowly. Don’t let this happen - calculate the temperature and light conditions in the room so that its inhabitants do not freeze or get sick.

Type 1

This floor option. To provide your brooders with the right temperature and light for your chicks, you will need:

three-liter glass jar; a fragment of light-colored natural fiber fabric; cartridge; piece of cable; fork; 60 W bulb.

Assemble the structure:

• connect the cable with one end to the socket and the other to the plug;
• screw the end of the lamp into the socket and place it in the jar;
• wrap it with a thick layer of fabric so that the chicks do not get burned;
• securely fix the ends of the rag;
• place the jar on the floor and turn on the electricity.

The disadvantages of such heating are that young animals fight for a place near the jar, and weak specimens die from suffocation.

Chicks need light and warmth

Type 2

The chick brooder is also equipped with lighting and heating using a 60 W lamp. If desired, replace it with a mirror or infrared variety. You will also need:

• fragment of cable (length depends on the location of the socket);
• cartridge;
• fork;
• power regulator.

To make a homemade light source:

• attach a plug to one side of the cable;
• to the other - a cartridge;
• fix it under the ceiling of the device;
• follow the power regulator.

Arrangement

Brooders, in addition to heating and lighting, provide chickens with the opportunity to exercise. To provide young animals with space suitable for development and growth, use flooring. In summer, arrange light, thin bedding. In winter, a deep option is preferable. Do not take for this purpose: straw, chaff, fragments of corn husks.

It is important to properly set up your brooder

This natural raw material easily molds. Poisoned by the fungus, small chickens will die. Also avoid using sawdust (chicks eat it and die). Lay the seed husks, dry peat, sand. Place 2-3 paper sheets on top. It is better to choose a floor mesh with small cells - from 10 by 10 mm to 15 by 12 mm. Such sizes will prevent the chicks’ legs from falling through, but at the same time they will allow droppings to pass down.

For which an additional hole is cut at the bottom of the wall. They are characterized by the following advantages: pets do not scatter food, you serve food without disturbing the inhabitants of the box, the size is adjusted according to the livestock.

It is not recommended to put large containers or plates with water - babies drown in them, and they also increase the level of humidity in the room. Vacuum micro-drinkers for 10 animals also pose a similar danger. It is better to purchase one with a sensitive nipple and install a drip eliminator under it.

To prevent the occupants of the room from getting sick, provide them with air humidity of 60 to 70%. To maintain this level, promptly remove droppings and wet food that release moisture into the environment. Excess dampness additional source which open drinking bowls become, harms the health of the chicks. Excessive dry air also has a negative effect. Maintain appropriate humidity levels:

• ventilate the room;
• keep it clean, change the flooring regularly;
• set the size suitable for babies;
• Empty the water from the drip trays in a timely manner.

Chicks will be healthy if the brooder is kept clean.

To make the life of your pets comfortable, correctly calculate the area for the number of inhabitants. For 30-35 heads there is enough space in a device 120 cm long and 45 cm wide. Provide room Fresh air, ventilate more often. However, avoid drafts - birds easily catch cold and die.

• Attach the mesh to the doors from the inside;
• outside, to retain heat, install a removable plastic plate on the mesh or use tape for this purpose;
• the drawing shows a method for securing the mesh;
• cut it not in the middle of the cell, but closer to the connection at the edges;
• Plastic plates are also used to make the room;
• the pallet is made of bent galvanized steel.

Brooders – homemade designs for chickens, the production of which does not take much time and money. You only need inexpensive materials and tool skills, and as a result you will create cozy home, in which your future herd will comfortably spend the first weeks of life.

Breeding broilers is a profitable business, but quite troublesome.

To get eggs and meat, you will have to take care of the poultry house, purchase of feed, and vaccination.

If you purchased day-old chicks or young animals aged two to three days, the birds must be provided comfortable conditions, since broilers react very sensitively to external factors.

In order for broiler chickens not only to survive, but also to grow and develop, they will need a brooder - a special box where chickens are placed in the first hours and days of their life.

The brooder creates the necessary temperature and humidity conditions that are so necessary for small chickens.

Why do you need a brooder for broiler chickens?

A brooder is a box, box or part of a room equipped for raising chickens.
Its use is extremely important in the first days of life of the chicks, since during this period the greatest mortality of birds is observed.

The cost of ready-made brooders in stores starts from 6,000 rubles; you can also purchase drinking bowls, feeders and other useful devices for them.

Then the price for the device will increase up to 10,000 rubles. But why overpay if you can make a brooder from scrap materials.

To the benefits homemade brooders worth mentioning:

• material savings,
• the ability to make a structure of any size to suit your livestock,
• original design (for example, you can paint the structure in one color or another).

For these reasons, many farmers decide to make their own brooder rather than buy one from the store.

Let's consider how and from what materials this structure can be made at home.

What are the requirements and dimensions of a brooder for broilers?

The main requirements include the following:

• a litter tray must be placed under the floor,
• Good ventilation is important in a brooder,
• shouldn't be inside high humidity,
• It is important to protect the heating source from access to chickens,
• the floor surface must always be dry and non-slip,

The dimensions and design of the brooder for broilers are individual and depend on the selected materials for its manufacture.

Materials for production:

• multilayer cardboard,
• pieces of wood or QSB boards,
• sip panels.

From what may be on the farm, they will be suitable wooden boxes and plastic containers.

When deciding on the size, keep in mind that the permissible density of chicks per square meter is no more than 25 pieces. If there are few broilers, a simple wooden box will be enough.

For 30-35 birds, a brooder measuring 120 cm x 45 cm is suitable.

Instructions - making a brooder for chickens with your own hands

Consider the option of creating a brooder from inexpensive materials, you can buy them at any hardware store.

For this you will need:

• two sheets of plywood measuring 1.5 m x 1.5 m,
• mesh,
• screws and metal corners,
• door hinges,
• rail measuring 50 mm x 15 mm,
• socket and 60 W bulb,
• piece of cable.

VIDEO INSTRUCTION

Operating procedure:

1. We make blanks for the frame. Sawing plywood sheets in half. We saw one piece of plywood again. You should get two squares measuring 0.75 m x 0.75 m, they will go on the side walls. The remaining pieces are 1.5 m x 0.75 m for the top, bottom and back wall.
2. We make a frame. Using self-tapping screws and metal corners, we fasten three pieces of plywood. To prevent the material from breaking, it is recommended to make a small hole for it before tightening the screw.
3. Preparing the floor. To do this, we use a mesh with a cell of 10 mm x 10 mm. It needs to be attached to the frame. We make a frame from wooden slats measuring 5 cm x 100 cm x 1.5 cm and 5 cm x 47 cm x 1.5 cm. We attach guides to the walls, they are also made from slats. We attach the floor to them.
4. We make another frame from slats to attach to it plastic panels. We place the structure under the floor. This will be a tray for litter.
5. To secure the doors, you need to make a frame of slats around the perimeter of the brooder and secure it with self-tapping screws.
6. The doors themselves are also made from slats. First, we make a frame and attach a fine mesh to it. Then we fix the doors to the brooder using hinges. We install a door stop on each door to prevent the door from slamming inward.
7. We provide lighting. We use a plug, cartridge and cable. We attach a plug to one end of the cable, and a cartridge to the other. Next, we fix the cartridge on the ceiling of the structure.

It is worth purchasing an infrared lamp, but if you don’t have one, a regular 60 W lamp will do.

If desired, the structure can be painted, and drinkers and feeders can be placed so that the kids are comfortable.

They should not be glass, but wooden. It is better to use standard or bunker type. Chicks will not throw away food from such feeders. Take small drinking bowls so that the chicks do not drown in them, and the water does not increase the humidity level in the brooder.

If you do everything correctly, the design will provide baby broilers with the necessary comfort.

VIDEO DESCRIPTION

It is not enough to simply build a brooder. It needs to connect both heating and lighting.

1. It is also necessary to create temperature and lighting conditions in the finished brooder. Simple table lamps are used in plastic containers and paper boxes.
2. In more complex structures, infrared devices are installed, which are used for both lighting and heating. You can install heating pads at the bottom of the box, and incandescent lamps at the top. To control the temperature, a hanging thermometer is used, which is attached to the side wall
3. In the first seven days of life, chicks need a temperature of +27C, then it is reduced to +25C. In this case, lighting should be around the clock, and then the intensity is reduced. Control over these indicators falls on the shoulders of the farmer
4. To create comfortable conditions for young animals to grow, it is necessary to use flooring, and in summer, thin bedding. It is better to avoid straw and corn husks, as these materials quickly become moldy, and the chicks can be poisoned by the fungus and die.
5. Sawdust, which birds can eat, is also not suitable. Use dry peat, seed husks or sand.

The mesh for the floor should have small cells so that the chicks do not fall through. Optimal size 10 mm x 10 mm.

To ensure that the chicks grow well:

• keep the brooder clean,
• ensure good ventilation,
• Avoid drafts.

Thus, using available means, it will be possible to easily and with minimal financial costs build a high-quality and reliable brooder for broiler chicks, which will successfully replace their mother hen.

If you are planning to breed poultry, in particular chickens, it is necessary to foresee in advance where the chicks will be kept from the first days of life. Having made a suitable box or rack, called a brooder, it is quite possible to provide them with the necessary heating and care on their own. The chicks placed in it will gain strength and grow up in fairly comfortable conditions. You can make a similar structure for raising chickens yourself with minimal carpentry skills.

IN last days hatching birds from eggs in an incubator or before purchasing one-day-old chicks on the market, the question arises where to place them for further cultivation. Chicks that are still immature must be kept dry and warm - thus, it will be necessary to ensure a suitable temperature regime for them without drafts. The name of the design for raising chickens “brooder” comes from the word brood, which in English means “mother hen” - thus, this device in the form of a specially equipped box for chicks is intended to replace their mother. Brooder is small design- a “house” for chickens in the first few weeks of their existence. non-slip and always dry floor, otherwise the chicks may get sick. It is advisable to equip the brooder with a retractable tray underneath for collecting litter, which allows you to maintain cleanliness without unnecessary effort; absence of high humidity, as well as the presence of ventilation without drafts; a source of moderate heating - it is advisable that the chickens do not have direct access to it. It should be noted that for chickens in the first days of life, the optimal temperature is about 35 ° C; after a few days it can be reduced to 30. Chick brooder sizes vary. For example, a design with bottom dimensions of 100 x 50 cm and a height of 50 cm can easily accommodate about 50 chickens, and slightly less - broilers. In addition to them, ducklings, goslings, and quail chicks can be mixed in the brooder. If necessary, in the future it will be possible to build an additional brooder (or several) and stack the boxes on top of each other. In a similar way, a significant number of chicks can be placed in one room. Types of Brooders Build a solid and easy-to-use structure from scrap materials, ensuring with your own efforts the most suitable conditions for housing chickens, quite realistic. For this you can use available materials. Perhaps you have an old bedside table or wooden drawers. When making a brooder for raising chickens, you do not need special equipment, suitable tools Perhaps every home craftsman has them. If you are interested in the question of how to make a brooder for chickens, you should consider the following information: experienced poultry farmers note that structures for keeping chicks made from OSB boards are difficult to clean, since this material has an uneven, rough surface; Plywood is more suitable for making a brooder - it is smooth, easy to wash and disinfect by wiping with alcohol. However, it is worth considering that this material is noticeably fragile and can break under weight. Therefore, having made several brooders from thin plywood, they are unlikely to be installed on top of each other in four tiers; a special frame will need to be built. Plywood sheets with large thickness have a significant cost; manufacturing such a design can be expensive; designs from polymer materials like polycarbonate, it is easy to clean and disinfect. However, it is worth noting that polycarbonate practically does not breathe, so it will be very difficult to ensure optimal temperature and humidity conditions inside such a structure. Available for sale various designs for raising small chicks - you can buy brooders for chickens with a body made of pressed foam, moisture-resistant plywood, as well as models insulated with sandwich panels. How can I temporarily replace a brooder? Some owners use various simple devices to house small chickens, such as houses made from a plastic container, an unnecessary chest of drawers, shelving, and even boxes made of multilayer cardboard. Sometimes the thought of using a brooder arises when the chicks are already in hand. While a more substantial structure is being built, a spacious box can be used to house a small number of chicks. household appliances. It should be taken into account that its bottom will need to be insulated and made non-slip by covering it with several layers of gauze or corrugated cardboard. Boxes in the wall comfortable height it is necessary to cut a viewing window and tighten it with transparent plastic film– it will be convenient to look into it without opening the box over and over again. You can assemble a homemade heater for chicks yourself in short terms from a liter jar with a screw-on metal lid. A small ceramic cartridge will need to be mounted on inner surface covers bolted connection. It is advisable to place a non-flammable gasket (for example, textolite) between them. About a dozen holes should be drilled in the lid to ensure air exchange inside the jar. About a third of the jar will need to be filled with fine sand. You will need to wrap the bottom of the jar with a cloth (you can put a thick sock on it) so that the chickens do not get burned. By raising and lowering the fabric, it will be convenient to adjust the level of illumination in the box. It is worth considering that the amount of heat generated by this device will depend on the power of the light bulb used. In the presence of big box You may need to place two mini heaters in it. The older the chicks get, the less they will need heating. Setting up such a “chick house” from a cardboard box will not require any special financial expenses; it can be built quickly and placed in any room, including the living room. It is worth considering that cardboard wears out quickly after the chicks are settled, and in addition, using this method it is difficult to achieve the optimal temperature conditions necessary for keeping small chicks. How to make a chicken brooder yourself To make at home reliable design, which can be used for more than one season, you will need to build a durable frame from wooden planks and bars, and then fix it on it OSB boards or sheets of plywood. These materials heat up efficiently, so they are quite suitable for constructing a brooder, in which it is necessary to ensure dryness and warmth. You can find it on the Internet various schemes and drawings of brooders for chickens. In the process of making a brooder, you may need these materials, tools and equipment: electric jigsaw or saw; hammer, wire cutters, pliers, hacksaw; tape measure, pencil; drill; screws, nails, furniture hinges, latches; plaster mesh for covering doors; galvanized metal mesh with small cells (about 1 cm) - a piece measuring 1x0.5 m; infrared or regular incandescent lamp with a power of 40-60 W, socket, plug, reflector; light controller (dimmer), a piece of cable of suitable length. In addition, it is necessary to prepare a sheet of moisture-resistant plywood 1.5 x 1.5 m thick, 1-2 cm, wooden blocks or slats, as well as metal corners. To avoid cracking of the plywood when fixing it with screws, it is recommended to drill small holes in it before starting assembly. Stages of work execution The sequence of steps for making a brooder for chickens with your own hands will look like this: Next, all that remains is to place the chicks in the brooder. This design will greatly simplify the care of chicks. Having assembled a suitable frame and made two or three brooders of suitable dimensions, they can be installed on it, obtaining a suitable place to place chickens of different ages.

Raising poultry is a troublesome business. But, despite this, in almost every courtyard of private households and even small summer cottages You can find not only well-groomed hens and cockerels, but also other animals. There are several ways to breed poultry. One of them is breeding it in brooders. With this method, day-old birds are purchased for rearing immediately after incubation. You can also buy two- or three-month-old young animals. Before purchasing chickens, you need to think about where they will be kept. The question arises about how to make a brooder for chickens.

There is a possibility of purchasing special devices for keeping young animals. But very often practical owners equip the room on our own. A homemade chicken brooder should provide everything the necessary conditions poultry keeping. Day old chicks are very vulnerable and require special care. After acquisition, they are kept in containers or boxes equipped for this purpose.

Lighting and temperature in the chick brooder

Successful poultry rearing depends on proper care, feeding and maintaining optimal temperature and light conditions. Failure to comply with the conditions of keeping the young animals will lead to their death. The temperature in the first week of the chickens’ life is twenty-seven. In the second week it can be reduced to twenty-five degrees Celsius. Lighting should be around the clock. Over time, the illumination is reduced. Thus, when making a brooder with your own hands, you need to provide the above-mentioned living conditions for the chickens.

Providing comfortable conditions for young animals

Before you build a comfortable place for chicks, you should decide on the number that will be placed in it. Acceptable standards the density of young animals is 25 pieces per one square meter. Chick brooder designs will be determined by this parameter. For a small number of chicks, a regular box will be enough.

Very often a cardboard or plastic box is used for these purposes. However, it will be difficult to maintain the necessary growing parameters. A design made from more durable materials would be suitable.

We make a brooder with our own hands for chickens. Dimensions and materials

The designs of boxes for raising chicks can be different. The simplest option is an adapted box made of thick cardboard or plastic container of sufficient size. Knowing the number of expected young birds, determine the size of the box in which they will be raised. First of all, it must provide the necessary conditions of maintenance, and also be convenient for maintenance.

Boxes of certain sizes and designs will be more practical and convenient. For their manufacture, you can use This material makes an excellent body, providing structural rigidity. The top of the box is covered with a removable mesh lid.

The dimensions of the brooder for chickens will be:

• length - 1 meter;
• height and width - 0.5 meters;
• internal height - 0.45 meters.

Assembly of the structure

When making a brooder for chickens with your own hands, they use the most various options. First of all, the design itself may have slight modifications. These can be boxes with hinged doors located on the top or on the side. Use transparent plastic for windows or mesh partitions. The master can make these improvements at his own discretion. At the same time, the basic principles are preserved: reliable heating and ventilation, absence of drafts, lighting and protection from predators. After purchasing the material required sizes, which will correspond to the number of chickens, begin to manufacture the structure. Make a body of appropriate dimensions.

The side walls must be securely fastened and have a rigid structure that allows later mounting of lighting fixtures on it. The bottom of the box is made of the same material as the side walls. It is also securely fastened. This ensures the movement of the box. In sunny weather, chickens benefit from ultraviolet baths. At reliable fastening the boxes can be moved freely.

For convenience, the top of the box is equipped with a hinged mesh lid. It will not obstruct the access of air and will become reliable protection from predators. This design is convenient when caring for chicks. Daily change of bedding and feeding of the birds provide constant access to the box. Before placing the equipment, the inside of the box must be disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The bottom of the box is covered with clean paper, which is changed as it gets dirty.

Thermal conditions and illumination

By making a brooder with your own hands, the necessary heating and lighting are provided for the chickens. If the usual carton boxes or plastic containers, heating and lighting are provided by ordinary table lamps. Brooders more complex design equipped with infrared lighting fixtures. They do an excellent job of heating and lighting the entire brooder.

You can also use heating with heating pads placed at the bottom of the box. In this case, ordinary incandescent lamps are used for lighting, which are mounted in the upper part of the box. Sufficient thermal conditions and illumination provide the chicks with comfortable conditions. The young animals move freely around the brooder. The temperature inside the box can be monitored with a hanging thermometer. The yoke is attached to the side wall.

Feeders and drinkers for chicks

In addition to warmth and light, chickens need feeding. A do-it-yourself brooder for chickens is equipped with a convenient feeder and drinker.

This simple equipment is not difficult to make. Glass feeders should not be used. It is better to make small but roomy wooden ones. The design of the drinking bowl should prevent the chicks from getting wet. It can be made from a deep saucer and a liter jar with plastic cover having holes. It is filled with boiled water. Cover with a lid. Next, turn it over and place it in a saucer. The chickens will have constant access to water.

Feeding the chickens

The first diet for chicks consists of a weak glucose solution and a finely chopped hard-boiled egg. In subsequent feedings, add greens, vegetables, millet and low-fat cottage cheese. It is necessary to ensure that there is always fresh water in the drinking bowl. The feeders are well lit. Feeding with dry food requires constant lighting. When using wet mash as food, the light duration is reduced to seventeen hours. Vitamins A, B, E will be useful in the diet. They are added to the feed at the rate of 1 drop per 1 chicken. Good growth Fish oil also helps.

The brooder is designed for keeping broiler chicks in the first weeks of life. This simple design, which provides everything necessary for normal height and development of chicks. The brooder perfectly replaces a brood hen for babies and warms the babies when hatching them in an incubator. Making a brooder for chickens with your own hands, having drawings and dimensions, is quite simple. Best ideas presented on our website.

The photo shows a chicken brooder made from a cardboard box

Do-it-yourself chicken brooder: drawings, video O

You can buy an excellent brooder at any specialty store. However, the price of the device is often too high, so many poultry farmers decide to make a simple analogue themselves. Since the brooder is a regular box with various accessories, constructing the structure is usually simple. It will only take a couple of hours, and you can put the device into operation.

Taking the factory version as an example, everyone can do the job. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when making equipment to ensure the resulting brooder is suitable for chicks. These are the following aspects:

1. To make cleaning the device easier, it is recommended to make a trash tray under the brooder.
2. An important requirement is to ensure good quality inside. The occurrence of drafts has an extremely adverse effect on the health of children. Good ventilation in the brooder is the key to the health of the young animals.
3. Creating an optimal microclimate inside is achieved by installing air humidifiers and heaters.
4. The size of the brooder must be determined in advance. It all depends on how many chickens need to be kept in it. It is not recommended to place more than 50-60 broiler chicks per 1 square meter.

The main material for the brooder is plywood with a sheet thickness of about 1-1.5 cm. It is difficult to maintain a constant temperature in a thin-walled structure. You can consider options for making a brooder from scrap materials or simply refurbishing old furniture.

The brooder is an excellent substitute for a mother hen for babies and warms the babies when hatching them in an incubator.

How to make a DIY brooder for raising chickens?

After purchasing all necessary materials and equipment, you can get to work. First of all, the brooder frame is assembled; the size is selected individually. It is not recommended to build a product with a height of more than 50 cm, since then difficulties may arise with heating the chicks. There is not enough heat, and the chickens will freeze.

The bottom of the brooder is made of a fine mesh with 1x1 cm cells. Through the holes, all debris will fall onto the tray. Cleaning is quick and easy, because you just need to collect the garbage from the pallet. If the tray is mounted on telescopic guides or slats, you get an excellent retractable design.

Most often, plywood with a sheet thickness of about 1-1.5 cm is used to make a brooder.

The brooder is heated with conventional 60 W incandescent lamps. It is better to purchase special heating lamps, which are inexpensive and do an excellent job. Before using the brooder, you must select optimal height lamp location. To do this, measure the temperature using a thermometer.

Video on how to make a brooder for chickens with your own hands:

Have you decided to build a brooder for chickens with your own hands? We invite you to familiarize yourself with the drawings, write down the dimensions, and watch photos and videos. The design of the brooder is quite simple, and every chicken breeder can assemble the device. Such equipment is extremely necessary for every poultry farmer and is actively used in the spring, when hatching chickens and other poultry takes up most of the farmers’ time.