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This cabinet raises baby chicks up off the ground on 2x2 legs, with a hardware-cloth mesh bottom that lets droppings fall through instead of collecting in bedding — the same basic idea as a wire-bottom brooder cage, just built as real furniture instead of a wire pen. The sides are ripped from a single sheet of 3/4" plywood into three 15-1/2"-wide strips, referred to as "1x16" throughout this plan, which is worth remembering when you're reading the cut list.
The bottom door tilts down for easy cleanout, and the middle shelf gets hardware cloth stapled to its underside the same way the back does — ventilation matters as much as containment when you're raising chicks indoors or in a shed. Build the doors to fit your actual openings rather than to a fixed number, since a hand-built face frame is never perfectly identical opening to opening.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 3/4" plywood, ripped into 3 strips 15-1/2" wide by 8 ft long | 1 sheet |
| 1/4" plywood or similar sheet material, for the back | 1 sheet |
| 1x2 board, 8 ft | 2 each |
| 1x3 board, 8 ft | 2 each |
| 2x2 board, 8 ft | 8 each |
| 1x8 board, 3 ft | 1 each |
| Hardware cloth or chicken wire, 36" wide | 4 ft |
| Hinges, sets | 3 set |
| Staples, 1/2" | 1 box |
| Knobs, handles, and latches | 3 each |
| Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4" | 30 each |
| Wood glue | 6 oz |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Sides3/4" plywood (ripped strip), referred to as 1x16 | 2 | 3/4" × 15 1/2" × 60" |
| Side trim1x2 | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 15 1/2" |
| Legs2x2 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 66" |
| Front and back trim2x2 | 8 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 36" |
| Grated-bottom supports1x2Add more than three if your mesh needs extra support. | 3 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 15 1/2" |
| Shelves3/4" plywood (ripped strip), referred to as 1x16A fourth shelf is optional and not shown in the reference photo. | 3 | 3/4" × 15 1/2" × 36" |
| Top3/4" plywood (ripped strip), referred to as 1x16 | 1 | 3/4" × 15 1/2" × 39" |
| Top trim1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 39" |
| Back1/4" plywood or similar sheet material | 1 | 1/4" × 38 1/2" × 60" |
| Bottom cleanout door1x8Hinged to tilt down for cleanout. | 1 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 35 3/4" |
| Door stiles1x3 | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 24 3/4" |
| Door rails1x3 | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 12 3/4" |
Buy 18 boards at 8 ft.
8 boards
Start with the sides. Drill 3/4" pocket holes along the side and top edges. Attach the side trim.
Attach the legs with 1-1/4" pocket-hole screws through predrilled holes.
Join the two sides together with the front and back trim to start forming the box.
Install the grated-bottom support boards for the hardware-cloth mesh floor — add more supports than the base three if your mesh needs it. Hinge the bottom cleanout door in place so it tilts down for easy access.
Add the upper shelf.
Add the top and its trim.
Add the back panel.
Build the doors to fit your actual openings, then hang them with the remaining hinges and add knobs, handles, and latches. Staple hardware cloth to the back of the cabinet and to the underside of the middle shelf.
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4 boards
1 board
2 boards
2 boards
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →