From hatching until they have feathered out at around 6-9 weeks, chicks must be kept warm and safe from predators. Here in Northern Illinois spring is notoriously chilly and windy, so we generally raise chicks inside. When I was a kid my parents would use old cardboard boxes lined with newspaper. It was very messy!
We wanted a container that could hold up to a little moisture (chick poops are wet & the bigger the chicks get, the bigger their poops get), block out any drafts, and could be easily cleaned and sanitized. We found that large plastic storage containers perfectly fit the bill! Our favorites are the Sterilite 50 Gallon Tote and the Sterilite 35 Gallon Tote. Their bottoms, although not perfectly flat, do not have any crevices that would make cleaning difficult. Also their lids are not arched, which makes the first step in converting them into brooder boxes a lot easier.
To complete this project, you’ll need:
Remove the lid and cut around the edge of the recessed inner rectangle using your utility knife. Next cut a piece of chicken wire long enough to cover the hole you made in the lid with 1-1.5 inches of overlap. Be careful, the pokey little ends of wire are sharp!
Turn the lid top facing up, and cut small holes along the edge of the rectangular opening you made, they just need to be big enough for the zip ties to fit through. Lay the chicken wire over the top of the rectangular opening and begin attaching it to the lid using the zip ties to anchor it securely. Make sure the wire is attached on the top of the lid, so the sharp ends of wire will not be inside the brooder where the chicks could hurt themselves on it when they start trying their wings. When complete, it should look something like this:
If you are concerned about the pokey wires, especially if youngsters will be helping with the care of the chicks, you can cover them by going over the top with some Duct Tape
Peacock Duct Tape!
I hope you’ve found this easy DIY brooder box idea helpful! Now it’s time to get everything ready for the arrival of your chicks. Check out my article on Starting Out Right – Successful Chick Rearing
Hoof. Horn. Feather. Fur. 
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