We used a 50-gallon storage tote and a wood-burning tool to create this brooder which is very effective for housing up to 25 newly hatched chicks. I designed them. Then I asked my girls made them while I did other (harder) work. I really like the ease of cleaning the plastic totes.
I used a regular canning lid for the holes. The middle hole is where we hung the heat lamp with a ceramic bulb.
We heat our home with a wood stove, so mornings can be a bit chilly. These did an excellent job of keeping the ducklings and chicks warm and safe from Bethany's cat, Gray. The tiny fowl had plenty of light from the holes during the daytime.* After they grew and were not as fragile, we moved them to a shed with a lamp and light setup.
*The standard advice is to give 72 hours of continuous light to help just hatched baby birds find food so they will learn to eat. We did not follow this advice and did not have any issues.
