Once your chicks hatch, you will need to have a place for them to go. That place is called a brooder. The brooder keeps the chicks safe and warm while they grow in size and also grow in in their adult feathers.

Building a basic brooder is relatively simple:

Find a box with a lid
Cut a hole in the lid to provide air flow
Fasten wire to the hole in the lid to keep the chicks inside

It can be exactly that easy, or you may put a little bit more energy and thought into it depending on what your goals are.

My goal was a brooder for up to 18 quail chicks to spend the first 3 weeks of their life in. It needed to be tall enough to accommodate 2 inches of substrate, feeders, waterers and the brooder plate. It needed to be wide enough to accommodate the 18 chicks. the brooder plate and the food and water. The recommendation for quail chicks is 6 chicks per square foot so I needed a box that was at least 3 square feet. Because I planned to use a brooder plate and not a heat lamp the box could be any material. I decided on a 25 gallon clear plastic tote.

So, now it’s time for you to make your own brooder.

Questions to Consider

Step 1: What are you brooding?

The species you are brooding and the time they need to stay in the brooder will determine how big your brooder needs to be. Some birds are ready to go in as little as 3 weeks while others need to be in a brooder for upwards of a month. I’ve included the starter brooder sizes below:

Coturnix Quail: 6 chicks per SQ ft for the first 2 weeks
Bobwhite quail: 10 chicks per SQ ft for the first 2 weeks
Chickens: 2 chicks per SQ ft for the first 4 weeks
Turkeys: 1 chick per SQ ft for the first 8 weeks
Ducklings: 1 chick per 1.5 SQ ft for the first 6 weeks
Goslings: 2 chicks per SQ ft for the first 2 weeks then 1.5 SQ ft per bird

Step 2: What is your substrate?

Common brooder substrates include:

Pine shavings (not cedar!)
Pine pellets
Blue shop towels
Hemp bedding
Ground corn cobs
Finely chopped straw

The type of substrate you use will depend on what you are brooding and what suites your needs best. For example, waterfowl benefit from deep, extremely absorbent substrate. If you need a deep substrate you may need a taller brooder.

Step 3: How will you be heating the space?

Will you be using a heat lamp or a heat plate?

Both are valid options, but if you use a heat lamp you will need a stand for the light bulb. I don’t recommend using a plastic tote when using a heat lamp because the potential for melting your brooder is much higher. If you choose a brooder plate you will need to make sure your brooder is wide and tall enough to accommodate the plate.

Quail Brooder

How to make a cheap quail brooder.

Active Time1

Yield: 1 Brooder

Equipment

1 Jig saw or you can use heavy duty scissors instead
1 Drill

Materials

1 Plastic Tote The size depends on how many chicks you are brooding
1 peice Hardware Cloth The size depends on the size of your tote
6+ Zip Ties The number depends on the size of your tote

Instructions

Drill holes around the perimeter of your tote lid about 1 inch from the edges and about 4-6 inches apart.
Cut out the middle of your tote lid, leaving 1.5-2 inches of plastic around the perimeter. Your holes should still be on the lid and not on the part you just cut out.
Cut your hardware cloth to cover the hole you just cut out of the tote lid.
Secure your hardware cloth to the lid by threading your zip ties through the hardware cloth and the holes in the lid.
Add substrate to the bottom of the tote, then add your brooder plate, feeder and waterer.
Add chicks!

Additional Resources