How to Make a Wooden Chicken Brooder

Like any newborn, baby chicks need special attention, especially when they first enter the world. A brooder is an enclosure that keeps them warm and away from the harsh elements outside. To build a sturdy brooder, use wood; it won't fall apart and will keep the heat inside the brooder.

Things You'll Need

  • 1-foot wide hardboard sheet
  • Wood glue
  • Newspaper
  • Wood shavings
  • Paper towel
  • Infrared lamp
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Count how many chicks you have.

    • 2

      Determine the appropriate size of brooder based on the number of chicks. Each chick needs approximately half a square foot of space. For example, if you had ten chicks, you would need a brooder that is 5 square feet.

    • 3

      Divide the area of the brooder by pi and take the square root of the value. Multiply the result by 2. In the example dividing 5 by 3.14 and taking the square root equals about 1.3. Doubling 1.3 equals 2.6. This value will be the diameter of the cylinder brooder.

    • 4

      Purchase a 1-foot wide sheet of hardboard that, when bent into a cylinder, has a diameter equal to that calculated in Step 3.

    • 5

      Form the hardboard into a cylinder with a diameter equal to that calculated in Step 3. Use wood glue to attach the ends together.

    • 6

      Hold the ends together until the glue dries; this should take about 10 minutes.

    • 7

      Place three layers of newspaper under the cylinder.

    • 8

      Layer the entire inside of the cylinder with a 1-inch pile of wood shavings. Place paper towel over the wood shavings.

    • 9

      Set the infrared lamp over the top of the brooder and turn it on for a few minutes prior to placing the chicks inside the structure.