Dozen Lil' Peeps Chick Brooder

If you are planning on raising chickens right from babies, then you have to have this chick brooder. Small, easy to make, and fits up to 12 chicks safely. I've hatched chicks twice now, I understand how stressful it can be to make sure they are happy. Let me tell you now, food, water, a heat source, and a few buddies is all they need to be content. Chickens are great pets, and they can even bond with you! And eggs are a must have. Keeping your little guys safe from predators (like a dog or cat) and warm is critical for their little bodies. This chick brooder can take up to 3 days to make if you have no woodworking experience, however with a bit of help and the right tools you will be done in no time! (about a day or two) Happy hatching!

1. 2 Piece's 16" by 23" Ply Wood
2. 4 Piece's of 1.5" by 27" wood
3. 2 Piece's of 1.5" by 16" wood
4. 2 Piece's of 1.5" by 23" wood
5. Small hinges
6. Screws
7. Drill
8. Hammer
9. Short Nails
10. 2 Piece's of 23" by 27" chicken wire
11. 2 Piece's of 16" by 27" chicken wire
12. Screw hook
13. Hay or wood
14. Heat plate/heat lamp to keep chicks warm

Attach two of your 27'' inch pieces together with one of your 16'' inch pieces. Put the 16" one on top of both 27'' inch pieces horizontally. Screw then in place with the drill, from the top down (where the arrows are pointing). Repeat the same steps with the remaining two 27" inch pieces and one 16" piece.

With both the 23" inch pieces (your remaining amount of wood) screw it to one of the faces you just made horizontally as shown in the photo. Make sure your screws don't collide with your previous screws while drilling it in.

Get the second face you made and attach it with your screws to the 23" pieces just as you did in the last step. By this point your project might be a bit flimsy, so be careful and gentle while handling it.

It's time to bring out one of the plywood pieces. Since both are the same size it doesn't matter with one you use. Flip your project upside down, and drill down four screws on each corner. (The red arrows are where you drill in the screws) Your project should now be sturdy. This is your base.

With a hammer and some short nails hammer on the chicken wire. Make sure that you put the right size of chicken wire on the right side. The holes in the wire are small and should stay in place if you place the nail right on the edge of the wire. Nail in at least four nails on each side.

With your other piece of plywood we are now going to make a door. Place it so it can rest on the top, and get your hinge (since it's such a small door you will only need one). Line it up so it's right in the middle of your door and screw it on first to the normal wood, then screw it onto the plywood.

Now that you have gotten your door on open it and drill in a hole for your hook. With your hands, manually screw in the hook and make sure it's as tight as you can make it. For safety, once you are done screwing it, face the screw away from your project, so when you open it the heat lamp doesn't fall.

Finally you can get some hay, a heat lamp, and a few little chicks to complete this instructable. I hope everything went well and you didn't experience the same difficulties as I did. Instead of using screws for most of it (like I said before) I tried to use a long nail thinking it would be easier. Trust me, don't use a nail unless it's short, or you already have a hole to nail it in especially if you are working with hardwood. In the middle of trying to hammer it in I figured it was harder than the screws and I started to pull it out. I got it out, however, the end of the hammer came flying up and hit me square in the forehead. Never again. Screws are easier and more reliable when it comes to holding things together. Although, what I'm saying is not that I'm never going to use a hammer again, but that I learned what I was doing wrong. I held it facing toward myself, and I hadn't drilled a hole for it.

How I grew well doing this, more like what I grew, a big goose egg on my head. No but seriously, I grew in being more patient. I know this sounds cliche, but I am not very patient, and it really shows when I'm trying to do a task that I started. I am not experienced in woodworking, I've only built one chicken coop before this. So I can't expect myself to be perfect. I know that some people could never build something like this, but I can, that is a gift that God gave me. Even if I hit my head and make mistakes.

I would do this again, and I probably will have to soon. My sister and I are planning on building a huge chicken farm, a home stud, and making a little money off of it. I am so grateful to have access to more than enough supplies to build more, and hatch more. What I would change though is sticking to the plan, and my instructable, it worked once it will work again. My favorite part by far was screwing in the last screw (the hook screw). For one, hook screws are just satisfying to work with, and it's also satisfying to see that you are finally done.