Easy DIY Chick Brooder Build
If you have considered raising chickens for eggs or meat but are not a carpenter, this easy DIY plan to build a chick brooder is for you!
I was able to build this with scrap plywood and zero carpentry experience.
If I can do it, so can you!
Chick Season
Spring is upon us, and you know what that means, baby chicks!!!
I built this brooder last year. It has been a home for many baby chicks.
What is a DIY Chick Brooder?
A brooder is a man-made replica of a mother hen. A hen who wants to become a mother hen will become ‘broody’ hence where ‘brooder’ comes from. She will abandon all her needs and sit on a fertilized egg for the fetus to hatch. Her body’s warm and perfect temperature allows the chick to develop, taking about 20 days to hatch 🐣 .
In nature, a mother hen will keep her newly hatched chick very close to her. Chicks need to be very warm and will cozy up under the mother hen for warmth and safety.
She is their protector and teacher. The mother will show her babies how and what to eat while keeping danger away. Pecking at whatever she feels is a threat.
Without a mother hen to protect and keep alive, these chicks need a warm and safe place.
A brooder is just the spot!
Chick Brooder Set-up
A proper brooder needs a few items to ensure the best survival of the chick’s lives.
- Heat Source (Lamp with a red bulb or heat plate)
- Chick Feeder
- Chick Waterer
- Pine Shavings (not Cedar)
- Thermometer
- Chick Grit (if feeding them treats or anything other than their feed)
These baby chickens naturally will be out on the grass with momma from the start of their lives.
They will forage for grass, weeds, bugs, etc from Day 1.
However, they still need a high protein feed to keep up with their fast-growing bodies. This is why it is essential to buy chick feed and not layer feed with a higher calcium content for eggs.
Deep-Litter Method for Chick Brooder
I’ve learned throughout the years that removing the pine shavings daily is time-consuming, and wasteful. The build-up of the shavings and little poops are valuable compost.
Instead of emptying the brooder, I leave it and add a fresh layer to the soiled parts. The chickens naturally scratch it all together and the shavings will soak up the manure.
It will gradually get taller and taller, and when it reaches the top, this is when I empty it into the compost.
How Long To Keep Chicks In DIY Brooder
When I first raised chicks, I didn’t know all I know today.
I do things differently now that I’ve seen a mother hen raise baby chicks.
A chick 🐥 can be outside all day if it is warm and sunny. ☀️ I take out my chicks and let them enjoy nature and soak in the sun.
I move them into a secure and safe chicken tractor where they can have plenty of room to run around and eat grass.
I talk more about chick transition stages in the YouTube video below:
It is a lot of daily transferring from the brooder to the chicken tractor and back but ultimately produces healthier chickens.
Eventually, I need to invest in the chicken crates for easier transfer.
I like this brooder because I haven’t lost any chicks due to rats, or any predators.
I keep it in my chicken’s coop so it is pretty safe there at night.
Brooder Temperatures
| Week 1-2 | 95 Degrees F |
| Week 3 | 90 Degrees F |
| Week 4 | 85 Degrees F |
| Week 5 | 80 Degrees F |
They will let you know if they are too warm or too cold by huddling up under the heat source or staying away from the heat source.
DIY Chick Brooder Plans:
DIY Chick Brooder
DIY brooder build plans.
Materials
- Material List:
- (4) 3' 1×4’s -W
- (4) 3' 1×4’s -H
- (4) 2' 1×4’s -L
- (2) 3' 1×2’s for lid -W
- (2) 2' 2" 1×2’s for lid -L
- (2) 2×3 sheets of plywood
- (2) 2×2 sheets of plywood
- (3) 2' 2" 1x2's -lid frame and middle support beam
- 2 cabinet hinges
- 1 box Torx screws
- (2) sheets of 1/2" Hardware Cloth
- 1 ½" fencing staples
Tools
- Drill
- Staple Gun
- Pencil
- Level
Instructions
- Build Frame
- Mark each of the 3' 1x4s at the 12" mark. These will be the brooder's 4 legs
- Place the 2' 1x4 (length) perpendicular to the 12" mark on the 3' 1x4 (height).
- Screw these two together
- Repeat with another 3' 1x4 to make the other legs.
- This now forms an H, and the bottom frame on the side of the brooder
2. Screw together another 2' 1x4 (length) at the top
- Repeat this to finish the brooder's side frames
3. Use a 3' 1x4 (width) to start the front and back of the brooder 
- Line the 3' 1x4 against the lower part of the brooder.
- Screw these two pieces together
- Repeat on the back of the brooder
- You now have the outlined frame of your brooder box with legs
- Make sure they are all even, and not wobbly
4. Apply the plywood to the frame lying it on the ground. 
- Take your 2x3 sheet of plywood and line up with the front of your brooder
- Screw these together
- Flip and repeat this process to close off the back of the brooder
- The plywood will be a snug fit but should fit between the 1x4 frame
5. Secure the bottom of the frame with a 2x3 sheet of Hardware Cloth
- Wrap the ½ Hardware Cloth under and across the bottom and staple it to the plywood
- Secure 3 12" 1x2 support beams on the hardware cloth by drilling it from the bottom
6. To make the lid, line one of the 2' 2" 1x2 with one 3' 1x2 to form a L shape. Screw them together
- Repeat on the other side to form a rectangle
- You know have the frame to the lid
- Secure Hardware Cloth over the lid and staple it with fencing staples
7. Place the lid on top of the brooder and attach with hinges 12" in from the edge of the frame
Congratulations, you have completed the DIY Brooder
Notes
Leftover scrap 1x2 can be used for propping up the lid to keep it open
FAQ
30 newly hatched chicks and 15 bigger chicks
A brooder is meant for newly hatched chicks who need shelter, safety, and warmth. Once your chicks start trying to fly out, it is time to upgrade them. This usually is around week 4.
Preferably buy untreated wood
No, this brooder can stay outside, out of the elements, under a nice barn or shelter. Make sure you have an electric fence or something to protect the small chicks from predators.
No, for extra safety measures, include the lid. It prevents them from flying out, and from predators getting in easily.
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