The objective…..use these materials (wire structure that they are lying on top of not included)…..
….and figure out an acceptable brooder for the impending hatching. It has to be able to house mama hen, and chicks, within the current chicken house, and allow an ease of cleaning. In general, I can kind of build things, but I do NOT use power saws…table saws really scare me. So when I had to cut a small support post…..
…I resorted to this dull, rusted hand saw that I could only bring through the wood in one direction. You know what….I didn’t have to use a power saw, so I was totally okay with that.
The basic leg supports got the once over by this hen….
The goal of this brooder structure was to provide protection for the young chicks, yet let them and the flock be exposed to each other….and to be as lightweight as possible so that I can easily move it when I need to clean the chick’s area. My hope is that mama hen, aka Kermit, will stay with her chicks while they grow, and help to protect them. If she does, with the help of this “safe place,” the chicks should be able to stay with the adults, and just naturally meld into the flock. So what would work for the walls…
A big cardboard box…..again….no power saws necessary!!
The width I originally thought would be okay….NOPE!! I cannot visualize spacial measurements very well…my original thoughts on the width of the brooder was much to small for mama and chicks….
….much better!! This enclosure was to be three sided, with the open side backed-up to the nesting boxes. This width of 32″ encompasses two boxes. I don’t know WHAT happened to my width wall measurement, but it turned out like this……
Sooooo, I thought….what sticks to cardboard really well….packing tape!!
FIXED!! Hahaha….at this point I was thinking, “Well…it’s not going to be holding back Godzilla!!!” I left a notch at the bottom so that the chicks can wander out as mama hen sees fit, and run back into their safe place if needed. Before we know it, the chicks will be big enough to jump over, or not need the safety of a brooder at all. It doesn’t have to last for months….just a few weeks!
The finished product!!
Say, “Hi” to Kermit….do you see her??!! By the way…..on today’s check…there is peeping sounds coming from underneath mama…..tomorrow, I’ll be holding a baby chick!!
Thank you for visiting the farm today!! I hope you have the chance to hold a baby chick this spring…it’s great medicine for lowering your blood pressure…hahaha!!
Your friend from Oregon,
Tami
Build Me a Dream 
Comments on: "Cardboard Brooders??" (4)
That should do the job, simple but functional, I hope all goes well.
Our mama hen has just started to leave her two chicks during the day, but they are back under her wing at night.
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The mama hen / chick relationship is so cool to watch. I’m glad your chicks are doing well. I’m hoping this hen will be as good a mama as our other hen that has raised a couple of different hatchings…she stayed with the chicks and kept them warm. Never needed a heat lamp…fingers crossed!!
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Such a clever girl you are! Cannot wait to see a l’l chickchick in your palm 🙂
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Nice job and NO power tools HAHA
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