Best Chick Brooder ~ Build it in 30 mins for $30 ~ Keep your Chicks safe from your Cat

We needed a chick brooder that our cat Figaro wouldn't be able to get in to. It needed to be affordable and come apart easy so we can store it when we are not using it.

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I was born and raised 20 minutes from Boston, MA. At the age of 17, I was diagnosed with Anxiety. My personal experience with the prescribed medication was NOT POSITIVE. So I decided to find better way. I didn't know it at the time but, that was the BEGINNING for me! I have been “FINDING A BETTER WAY” in all areas in my life ever since. Better ways of how to create a modern homestead affordably, and a better way to provide my family with healthy foods, and so….. much MORE!

At Lumnah Acres we hope our experiences can help guide you to find YOUR BETTER WAY! Please join us in sharing our journey with you, let us be a guide to Modern Homesteading, Self-Sufficiency, and FREEDOM for you!

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[albertabyers]

I know you said you were putting cardbord down but to make it easier clean up you could put a tarp on top of the cardbord then when you go to clean it just lift the brooder off and fold the tarp up and dump it on your compost pile. makes for easy clean up.

[dilligaph]

Buy old leather belts at yard sales. Cut into strips and they make great hinges. Last a lot longer then the plastic.

[scmassey]

I needed to make a temporary brooder for the 6 new chicks that were getting too big for my laundry room. I don't live on a farm but a residential area in a city. I needed a brooder that I could disassemble and your plan was ingenious! It took me 3 hours not 30 minutes since I am a 65 yo woman learning how to use power tools. It is not as perfect as yours but my chicks are delighted and they now have a place until they are ready to be out in the coop, , Thanks a million for such a smart design. I am going to use one of the lids as a compost screen when not being used for a brooder which is rare..

[whitehouseonthehill]

That’s a sweet brooder... we’ve got 2 smaller ones, but might try that for our meatbirds this year

[dianamallory]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I am almost done with my brooder box, I had to stop and recharge the battery, but as soon as it is charged I will be done. I don't need the top piece for mine, I don't have a Figaro to worry about. But this old woman did all by herself thanks to your awesome video!

[muddyacres]

Al:  Just wanted to tell you....I just put my baby chicks out in the 'big' coop after raising them from hatched to 3+ weeks.  This brooder is by far the best!!!  Thank you SO much!!!  this is freakin fantastic!!!  I have the brooder stored now against a wall in my basement for future use.  SO appreciate this!!!!

[JohnSmithJrVT]

Al I think this idea is great I built a brooder one year and then we were constantly moving it around the rest of the year. I like the fact that this will just fold up and get out of the way

[tinab]

I never would have thought of doing it this way, but this is so brilliantly simple. Love it!

[kaisenji]

Very nice set up. I use a plastic pool and a 5 ft doggy fence with cardboard inside. Old stuff cleaned up and will be ready to go. Personally, I would only use metal hinges.

[brettrichter]

You are a heckuva woodworking farmer!! Love you Man! Building this tomorrow.

[gelwood]

I would add a strip of wood around the inside over the edge of the hardware cloth. I made a brooder on legs and the weight on the seam pulled it loose. I went over the edge with a furing strip ($.98 a 6 ft piece ) and it solved the problem. I can see Pluto chasing Figaro around and end up on top too. Things happen lol. Love the design though I have to use our Kubota to move it to the shed when I am through and it is big and ungainly.

[jackywaldon]

I watched your video and was so impressed in what you was doing living out your life homesteading. I read where you told about being diagnosed with anxiety and prescription medications didn't work for you on a positive side. I was diagnosed with anxiety and have been on Xanax for 25 years and I'm 52 years old now and the withdrawals has been horrible I don't know why doctors ever put anyone on this type of medication. I identified with you on the level of having anxiety my love living on a farm and in the Lord Jesus Christ it has been my salvation. Thank you for making these videos they are a great encouragement to me and I know to a lot of others. I am sorry this is so long my other comments will not be long I promise. Thanks for lifting up my head by watching your videos.

[inderwink]

I’m not a builder by nature or trade. Your build videos are great and make me feel confident I can build too!

[gtdoering]

The simplicity, functionality, and breakdown for storage is absolutely wonderful. Making one of my own this weekend. Thanks for all you do!

[mountainsidefarm]

I love hardware cloth and use it a LOT.  It's more expensive but lasts MUCH longer than chicken wire. Our original chicken coop and run are lined with hardware cloth and it's STILL in great shape 11 years later.  We have to replace wood in places but the  cloth is in perfect shape! Cute kitty!!!

[dianeisenhart]

That box design would work for a warming box in the garden also!! I like it!!!!

[inderwink]

I also love to watch how you repurpose/recycle items (like jugs and bottles). Very creative!

[Leslie_AvalonAcresFarm]

I love your use of a plastic bottle for hinges, that's awesome! ~~Leslie

[brandonarquette]

Built this last week. Super easy. Amazing design. I had have some very cold weather and had trouble keeping temp in my garage. So, I added 1 inch insulation foam board cut to fit between the joints and 2 piece to fit on top of the mesh.

[HilltopFarmHomestead]

What a brilliant idea Al. I love that it all collapse away when you don't need it. You're a very clever man.