LEAFLET NO. 19
Homemade Lamp Brooder
T HE homemade farm brooder was planned and 
designed to
fill the need on many farms for a simple, economical, easily
constructed brooder for fifty or less chicks. The use of one or
more of these simple brooders will make it possible to brood
chicks early in the spring and eliminate excessive losses caused
by diseases, parasites, varmints, and sudden storms. The brooder
is operated in the open; a house or other protection is not neces-
sary except during extremely cold weather. The low cost of
construction and operation has made this brooder very popular
among farmers.
Construction.-The bottom, top, and sides are made in sep-
arate sections to facilitate cleaning the brooder and moving 
it
to new locations. The floor is made of tin and is tacked with
shingle nails to a frame made of light material. The frame is
fastened together at the corners with corrugated wood fasten-
ers as shown in the drawing. Two cross pieces are used to brace
the bottom. Small wooden blocks are nailed on both sides 
of
the frame at each corner to keep the brooder from slipping
sideways. The tin should be placed on the under side of 
the
frame so it will be next to the lamp. This makes the brooder
practically fireproof as no wood is exposed on the bottom. Three
one-half-inch holes should be bored in each side of the bottom
section to provide ventilation for the lamp.
8OTTOtMSECTION
- BROODER - - SUN PORCH -
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
OF THE
ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
M. J. FUNCHESS, Director
AUBURN
FEBRUARY 1941
Brooder
3 X2BOARDS, <
"I- 
COVERED 
WITH
ROLL ROOFiNG j r
:- OR TIN 
56-
ROOF
FLOOR
BOTTOM1 SEGTlON
TI
IG
Sun Porch
COVER
TOP SECTION
I,,
I
BOTTOM SECTION OR MIANURE PIT
BILL OF MATERIAL
Brooder
lin. ft., 1x12
uin. ft., 1x4
lin. ft., 1x8
pr. small hinges
or 2 pc., 8x10 in. glass
1/2 in. corrugated fasteners
pc. tin 34x48 inches
pc. 3x5 ft. roofing paper or tin
lb. 8-d common nails
Sun Porch
33 lin. ft., 1x12
51 lin. ft., 1x4
1 pc. 34x72 in. hardware cloth
1 pc. 34x72 in. poultry wire
one inch mesh
24, 1/ in. corrugated fasteners
1 lb. 8-d common nails
1/2 lb. wire staples
The 8 x 10-inch glass in the top section is optional. It aids
in teaching the chicks to eat when the weather is too cold f or
the front curtain to be left open.
Operaion.-The brooder is heated with an ordinary low-
type kitchen lamp or a kerosene lamp burner fitted onto a fruit
37
41
3
1
1
24,
1
1
1
4
jar. In placing the lamp, care should be taken to allow about
one inch of space between the top of the lamp chimney and the
floor of the top section. During extremely cold weather it will
probably be necessary to use two lamps to heat the brooder. The
lamp should be located half way between the sides of the
brooder and 14 inches from the rear wall. The lamp should be light-
ed 24 hours before the chicks are placed in the brooder. The floor
should be covered with sand which should be changed once each
week. The sand aids in keeping the chicks warm and facilitates
cleaning the brooder.
The sun porch provides more room and sunshine for the
chicks and keeps them off contaminated soil. The sides of the
top section of the sun porch may be made of 12-inch boards as
shown in the drawing or they may be made of one-inch-mesh
poultry wire.
Chick Size
2-1/2 x 2 x 4 ft.-sides
1-1/2 x 4 x 4 ft.-bottom
1- 1 x 1 x 4 ft.-reel
FEED HOPPER FOR 
1- 1 x 4 x 1 ft.-ends
F 
o  
FEED HOPPER
4 TO 12 WEEK
OLD CHICKS
Growing Size
2-1 x 4 x 4 ft.-sides
V,_1- 1 x 6 x 4 ft.-bottom
1- 1 x 6 x I ft.-ends
1- l1x 1 x4ft.-reel
2- plaster laths-lip
One self-feeder at least three feet long, made so the chicks
can eat from both sides, should be provided. One one-half-gallon
fruit jar drinking fountain should be used for water. As soon
as the chicks are well feathered, the top of the sun porch may
be left open so the chicks can range.
DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL AND POULTRY HUSBANDRY
D. F. King, Associate Professor of
Poultry Husbandry