Chick Brooder

Brooding is the short stretch when chicks need a warm spot and a cool spot right next to each other. This brooder gives them both in one pen. A metal arm holds the lamp over one side, and the chicks move between solid walls and wire grid walls to warm up or cool off as they need.

Cleanup is what you'll notice every morning. The dropping pan slides in and out under the wire floor, so you can dump it without taking the brooder apart. The galvanized steel frame stands up to daily brooder use, and the 5/16 inch floor openings are sized for small chick feet.

Highlights

• Warm side and cool side in one pen
• Metal arm holds a brooder lamp over one side
• Wire mesh floor with 5/16 inch openings
• Sliding dropping pan for fast cleaning
• Galvanized steel frame
• Assembles with a flathead screwdriver and included hardware

What it's for: a brooder that gives chicks a choice

Chicks need a range of temperatures. Too cold, and they huddle and pile up. Too hot, and they crowd to the far edge. Two wall styles let them pick their own spot, which is what a brooder should do.

The lamp arm matters too. A sturdy metal arm holds the lamp over one side, so the heat stays where it belongs and the far side stays cooler. The lamp is sold separately, so have one ready before chick day.

Wire floors keep chicks cleaner. Droppings fall through the mesh instead of sitting under the birds. For the first week or so, a layer of paper towel or cardboard on top of the wire gives new chicks a surer footing while their legs learn to balance.

It works for a small backyard flock. The chicks can stay in it up to four or five weeks old, then move on to a larger space.

At a glance

How to use it

Set it up once, then let the chicks choose their spot:

1. Assemble the frame with a flathead screwdriver and the included hardware.
2. Set the brooder on a level floor in a spot free of drafts.
3. Hang a brooder lamp, sold separately, from the metal arm over one side.
4. Lay paper towels or cardboard over the wire floor for the first week or so.
5. Slide the dropping pan out to clean it every day.

Good to know

• Plan for a brooder lamp before chick day, since the lamp is sold separately.
• Put the lamp over one end and leave the other end cooler, so the chicks always have a retreat.
• Swap out the paper towel daily and keep the floor dry.
• Keep the frame dry after washing so the galvanized steel stays in good shape.
• Pair it with a waterer base and a feeder base for a complete start-up set.

About Miller Manufacturing

Little Giant is one of the brands of Miller Manufacturing. Miller Manufacturing started as a family-owned business in 1941 and now makes more than 1,000 farm, ranch and pet products. Little Giant, Double-Tuf and Pet Lodge are among its brands.

Get it set up before the chicks arrive, so the warm side is ready on day one.