- 1). Scout out a site for the brooder in a sheltered place such as a shed, garage of barn. The 8-foot-by-8-foot brooder will provide sufficient room for 64 broilers, 32 bantam or leghorn chickens, or about 21 heavy breed chickens from hatching to 6 weeks of age. The size can be reduced to 6-foot-by-6-foot or 4-foot-by-4-foot for a smaller number of chickens.
- 2). Build a square box by attaching a 4-foot board to the 4-foot end of each sheet of plywood with drywall screws. Stand the plywood so the box will be 4 feet high and use the sheet rock screws to secure each corner. The 4-foot height is often necessary because some birds will begin to fly by 6 weeks of age.
- 3). Suspend the heat lamp above the brooder using a lightweight chain and snaps or a rope. Use two heat lamps if the outside temperature is cool and there a chance the chicks could become too cold if the bulb burns out. The chain and snaps make adjusting the height of the heat lamp easier.
- 4). Adjust the height of the heat lamp so the temperature under the lamp is 90 to 95 degrees for newly hatched chicks. Reduce the temperature 5 degrees each week until the brooder temperature is about 70 degrees.
- 5). Watch the behavior of the chicks to determine the correct temperature for the brooder. If the chicks huddle under the heat lamp, lower the height. Raise the height if the chicks avoid the heat lamp area.
- 6). Install an 18-inch-high guard to keep newly hatched chicks close to the heat lamp if drafts are a concern. Corrugated cardboard works well as a guard. If the outside temperature is very cold, cover parts or the entire brooder with heavy cardboard or sheets of plywood.
- 7). Fill the bottom of the brooder with several inches of bedding. For the first few days, cover the bedding with layers of newspaper so the chicks will distinguish the chick food from the bedding.
- 8). Place chick waterers and feeders in the brooder. Provide enough feeder and waterer space so all of the chicks can eat or drink at once.
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