How to Build a Grower House for Baby Chickens

Grower houses for baby chickens are made using a variety of materials: wood, metal, plastic or cardboard. The size of the house and materials used depend on the number of chicks to be brooded, the weather and whether the house will be reused. Regardless of materials used, your chick house should have good ventilation but be devoid of cold drafts, should include a heat source--usually a lamp or heat lamp--and should be large enough to accommodate the desired number of chicks.

Things You'll Need

  • 3/4-inch plywood
  • Nails or screws
  • Drill
  • Saw
  • Jigsaw or hole saw
  • 2 2-inch hinges
  • Light fixture and electric cord
  • 1/2-inch to 1-inch wire mesh or poultry wire
  • 1/4-inch staples and staple gun
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Instructions

    • 1

      For a grower house that measures 30-by-15-by-15 inches, cut three pieces of plywood 30 inches long and 15 inches wide. Nail or screw these together. One will be the bottom and the other two will be the sides.

    • 2

      Cut two pieces of plywood to fit the ends of the box, and nail or screw them to the other boards. You should now have a box with an open top.

    • 3

      Cut another piece of plywood that is 8 inches shorter than the height of the box but that fits snugly from side to side. Nail or screw this board in place so that it fits flush with the top of the box and divides the box in half. This will act as a heat trap for the brooder side of the house. Chicks should be able to walk under it to roam freely through the box and then return to the warming side when needed.

    • 4

      Cover half of the box with chicken wire, bending it around and stapling it to the sides of the box to secure. If the brooder is to be used outside in cold temperatures, you may want to make a lid to cover this side of the box when temperatures get too cold.

    • 5

      Attach a 2-inch-wide strip of plywood across the center of the box. This will be used to secure the hinges for the door.

    • 6

      Cut the last piece of plywood to the size of the remaining area of the top of the box. Attach this to the box with the hinges that have been screwed onto the top.

    • 7

      Drill or cut a hole in the lid that is large enough to pass the electrical wire for the light fixture through.

    • 8

      Feed the electrical cord for the light fixture through the hole in the lid, and secure the light fixture to the inside of the lid with the light pointing into the box. This will provide light and warmth for your chicks when they are in the box and the lid is closed. If you live in a colder climate, use more than one light fixture.