Abstract:
A foldable poultry brood box having a folding bottom, folding endwalls, and folding sidewalls provides a sheltered environment for the maturation of a brood of young poultry. Preferably, after the brood box is deployed, a floor overlay insert is placed and retained within the brood box to overlay, bridge over, and cover substantial portions of two floor free edges.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/532144, filed Sep. 8, 2011. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Various poultry brood boxes and systems have been developed as tools in the ongoing efforts by society to raise poultry from chicks to more mature poultry. An object of the present invention is to provide a foldable poultry brood box that is inexpensive, portable, easily deployable (erectable), and collapsible and more convenient and easier to use than prior art brood boxes. After use at a location in the raising of a brood of chicks, the present foldable poultry brood box can be collapsed into a more compact form for storage or disposal. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention is an easily deployable (erectable) foldable poultry brood box with a novel open-topped truncated generally square-based four-sided pyramid shape for use with a suitable poultry bedding for receiving, holding, and raising of poultry chicks. Preferably, the brood box includes a floor overlay insert overlaying two interior floor free edges. The brood box is constructed substantially from rigid stock sheet material including corrugated cardboard, paperboard, fiberboard, corplast plastic sheet material, or coated sheet materials. 
         [0006]    The present invention is a novel foldable poultry brood box having a folding bottom, two folding endwalls, and two folding sidewalls that a user may reversibly and selectively shift from a folded storage condition to an unfolded deployed condition forming an open-topped container having an upper inner perimeter opening that preferably receives and retains through said perimeter opening within the interior of said box a floor overlay insert and a suitable poultry bedding. When in the unfolded deployed condition, the brood box may be used to receive and retain one or more poultry chicks for sheltering, caring, and raising to a more mature condition. 
         [0007]    The brood box when in a deployed condition helps provide said chicks with a warm, nurturing environment with feed and water supplied by a poultry feeder and a poultry watering device placed within said brood box and preferably with warmth provided by a lamp fixture selectively attached along an upper inner perimeter opening of said brood box. 
         [0008]    In a basic embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 7  and  9  to  11 , a foldable poultry brood box having an open top comprises two preferably die-cut pre-scored duplicate congruent half brood box blanks [ 4  and  6 ] foldably connected together one blank to the other blank; each said blank having a foldable rectangular three-panel floor [ 14 ]; said three-panel floor comprising a larger isosceles right triangular panel [ 18 ] flanked by and foldably connected along each leg to one of two respective smaller isosceles right triangular panels [ 20  and  22 ]; an isosceles trapezoidal endwall [ 30 ] having an endwall smaller base free edge, two endwall angled leg edges, and an endwall larger base edge, said endwall foldably connected along said endwall larger base edge to said floor along a floor-length hypotenuse edge of said larger isosceles right triangular panel; said floor foldably connected at each floor end to one of two respective right trapezoidal sidewalls [ 36  and  38 ] along a respective sidewall larger base edge of said sidewall; each said sidewall having a sidewall angled leg edge adjacent and foldably connected to a respective endwall angled leg edge of said endwall and a sidewall perpendicular leg edge away from said endwall, and a sidewall smaller base free edge; and said floor having a floor-length floor free edge  16  foldably connecting between said sidewall perpendicular leg edges; and said two blanks aligned to one another with respective said floor-length floor free edges adjacent and along one another and with respective sidewall perpendicular leg edges of one said blank foldably connected to adjacent sidewall perpendicular leg edges of the other said blank; and said endwall smaller base free edges of said endwalls and said sidewall smaller base free edges of said sidewalls defining an upper inner perimeter opening in said brood box. 
         [0009]    Regarding said basic embodiment, said foldable poultry brood box is a generally square-based truncated four-sided pyramid shaped open-topped container having four interior corners, said open-topped container having an upper inner perimeter opening  88  defined by the smaller base free edges of said brood box and said sidewalls and said endwalls inwardly and upwardly slope from adjacent said floors to said upper inner perimeter opening. The inwardly and upwardly sloping walls of said brood box surround, shelter, and contain a pocket of fresh air, light, and warmth conducive to the healthy maturation of poultry chicks. 
         [0010]    In each preferred embodiment  2 ,  302 ,  412 , and  502 , after said box is unfolded, a floor overlay insert  8  having a transverse fold line  10  is placed and retained within said brood box to overlay, bridge over, and cover substantial portions of said two floor free edges  16  of said two floors and adjacent portions of said floors of said blanks; thereafter preferably a suitable poultry bedding is placed within the assembled said poultry brood box to cover said floor overlay insert and provide a layer of bedding for poultry chicks placed within the brood box. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the box blanks are fabricated from a corrugated cardboard and the floor overlay insert  8  is fabricated from a VC3 corrugated cardboard or other suitable corrugated cardboard that is water-resistant. The box blanks may also be fabricated from a corrugated plastic material such as Corplast material or another suitable sheet material. 
         [0012]    Preferably, at least one hooded electric light fixture  90  equipped with an incandescent bulb or an infra-red (IR) bulb and having a spring clamp mount is attached by means of the clamp mount along one top edge of the brood box (along the upper inner perimeter opening  88 ) with the fixture aimed into the interior of the brood box from above whereby light and heat are directed into the box. Preferably, a light fixture reinforcement overlay panel  92  is attached preferably with staples or other joining means known in the art to overlay a portion of said top edge to provide additional support for the light fixture. 
         [0013]    Steps in deployment for use of a folded poultry box entail: (1) unfolding the folded brood box; (2) preferably inserting and placing a floor overlay insert within the erect structure; (3) inserting and placing a suitable layer of suitable poultry bedding into the box; (4) inserting and placing a suitable poultry watering device and a poultry feeder into the box preferably atop the layer of bedding; and preferably (5) attaching along a top edge of the brood box at least one hooded electric light fixture having a spring clamp mount and having an incandescent bulb or an infra-red (IR) bulb by means of the clamp mount with the fixture aimed into the interior of said brood box. 
         [0014]    After deployment of the brood box, a selected brood of chicks may be placed within the box for maturation and the light fixture can be plugged in and energized to shine into the box. The light fixture, watering device, and the poultry feeder can be chosen from fixtures, devices and feeders commonly used in poultry husbandry. 
         [0015]    Poultry bedding for use in the brood box can be wood shavings, chopped up cardboard, wood fiber pellets, chopped low-dust straw, or other suitable bedding material known in the art of poultry husbandry. 
         [0016]    A principal objective of this invention is to help a person who wants to raise a brood of poultry by providing a foldable poultry brood box invention having a foldable floor and preferably having an insertable floor overlay insert that can be easily shifted from a folded storage condition to and from an unfolded deployed condition; and that can be selectively and conveniently collapsed after use. 
         [0017]    The invention is a novel foldable poultry brood box having a folding bottom and a floor overlay insert that is easy to move from one location to another and can be easily collapsed after use and that helps provide a safe controlled enclosure (environment) to help protect chicks from undesired environmental hazards. 
         [0018]    A further object of the invention is making available to users a foldable poultry brood box that is durable, easy to use, easy to secure in position, is inexpensive to manufacture, and is easy to deploy, to use, to move, and after use conveniently to collapse, to store for possible future reuse, or to dispose. 
         [0019]    The invention can be used in other areas of animal husbandry to provide a sheltered environment for other young animals such as puppies, kittens, rabbits, or other small animals. 
         [0020]    Additional and various other objects and advantages attained by the invention will become more apparent as the specification is read and the accompanying figures are reviewed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a foldable poultry brood box  2  having a foldable bottom in a deployed condition and showing a poultry watering device and poultry feeder within said brood box and a light fixture attached along an upper inner perimeter opening  88  along a top edge of an endwall  30  of the brood box (the interior floor area of the brood box covered with a suitable poultry bedding material); 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective view of the foldable poultry brood box  2  shown in  FIG. 1  having a floor overlay insert  8  having a transverse fold line  10  and showing said overlay insert positioned above two foldably connected brood box blanks  4  and  6 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a partially cutaway perspective view of the foldable poultry brood box  2  shown in  FIG. 2  and depicting the pouring of a poultry bedding material from a bag  70  into said brood box to cover the interior floor area of the box and to cover the floor overlay insert  8  disposed within and overlaying adjacent floor-length floor free edges  16 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is an exploded top plan view of the foldable poultry brood box  2  having two duplicate, congruent half brood box blanks  4  and  6  and showing a light fixture reinforcement overlay panel  92  having preferably a plurality of light fixture securement apertures  94 ,  96  for receiving a securement device threaded through the apertures and through an overlaid portion of said brood box to help secure a lamp fixture to the brood box (the floor overlay insert  8  is not shown; and zip tie or wire or other securement device not shown); 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a partially exploded top plan view of said brood box blanks  4  and  6  shown in  FIG. 4  with each said blank partially erected with respective sidewalls  36  and  38  folded upwardly from respective said floors  14  and two respective joining tabs  40  and  42  of each said blank folded outwardly away from each other into the same plane and showing said overlay panel  92  folded over and attached to an endwall smaller base free edge of an isosceles trapezoidal endwall  30 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a partially exploded top plan view of said brood box blanks  4  and  6  shown in  FIG. 5  with each said blank erected with respective sidewalls  36  and  38  folded upwardly from respective said floors  14  and respective said endwalls  30  folded upwardly from respective said floors and said endwalls foldably connected by joining means to respective said sidewalls; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a top plan view of a brood box  2  comprising said brood box blanks  4  and  6  shown in  FIG. 6  with each said blank erected with respective sidewalls  36  and  38  folded upwardly from respective said floors  14  and respective said endwalls  30  folded upwardly from respective said floors and said endwalls foldably connected by joining means to respective said sidewalls; and said sidewall  38  of each said blank foldably connected by joining means to said sidewall  36  of the other said blank (the floor overlay insert  8  is not shown); 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a top plan view of a floor overlay insert  8  showing a transverse fold line  10 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of said two brood box blanks  4 ,  6  shown in  FIG. 7  foldably connected together and partially folded towards a storage condition (the floor overlay insert  8  is not shown); 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  is a partially exploded, perspective view of said two brood box blanks  4  and  6  foldably connected together and partially folded to a storage condition with respective said floors folding upwardly towards respective said endwalls and said sidewalls folding inwardly and said floor overlay insert  8  folded; 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of said brood box  2  shown in  FIG. 10  with said foldably connected together blanks and said floor overlay insert  8  fully folded to a storage condition and strapped together by two binding straps; 
           [0032]      FIG. 12  is a top plan view of a second embodiment box blank  304  of a second embodiment of the invention (said second embodiment also includes a duplicate, congruent second embodiment box blank  306  (not shown)identical to said blank  304  and preferably has an overlay insert  8  not shown); 
           [0033]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of two second embodiment box blanks  304  and  306  foldably connected together by joining means and partially folded towards a storage condition (a floor overlay insert  8  is not shown); 
           [0034]      FIG. 14  is a partially exploded perspective view of said second embodiment of a foldable poultry brood box  302  having a floor overlay insert  8  and said overlay insert having a transverse fold line  10  and showing said overlay insert positioned above two foldably connected together brood box blanks  304  and  306  and showing a plurality of corner flaps folded inwardly; 
           [0035]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of said second embodiment of said foldable poultry brood box  302  shown in  FIG. 14  in a deployed condition (fully erect) showing a light fixture  90  (for illumination and provision of warmth into said brood box) attached to a light fixture reinforcement overlay  92  along an upper inner perimeter opening  88  of said brood box attached to the endwall  330  and secured by a light fixture securement device  98  and showing two sets of respective cooperating corner flaps  392  and  402  in said brood box blank  304  with each said set in a partially overlapping condition secured in place by a respective endwall corner flap anchor tab  396  inserted within and retained within a respective cooperating corner flap retaining slot  124 ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 16  is a partially exploded, perspective view of said brood box  302  shown in  FIG. 15  partially folded towards a storage condition with respective said floors folding upwardly towards respective said endwalls and said sidewalls folding inwardly towards one another and said floor overlay insert  8  folded; 
           [0037]      FIG. 17  is a top plan view of a third embodiment box blank  414  of a third embodiment of the invention (said third embodiment also includes a duplicate, congruent third embodiment box blank  416  identical to said blank  414  and an overlay insert  8  not shown); 
           [0038]      FIG. 18  is a perspective view of two third embodiment box blanks  414  and  416  foldably connected together by joining means and partially folded towards a storage condition (a floor overlay insert  8  is not shown); 
           [0039]      FIG. 19  is a partially exploded perspective view of said third embodiment of a foldable poultry brood box  412  having a floor overlay insert  8  and said overlay insert having a transverse fold line  10  and showing said overlay insert positioned above two foldably connected brood box blanks  414  and  416  and showing a plurality of corner flaps folded inwardly; 
           [0040]      FIG. 20  is a partial perspective outside view of said third embodiment of said brood box  412  in a deployed condition and showing an endwall corner flap  492  folded inwardly along a fold line  494  to partially underlay a folded inwardly sidewall corner flap  602  having a sidewall corner flap bracing strut anchor hole  606  and showing a floor corner bracing strut  702  formed by a strut die cut  700  in a floor corner away from the floor free edge and folded upwardly and received in the sidewall corner flap bracing strut anchor hole; 
           [0041]      FIG. 21  is a partial perspective inside view of said brood box  412  shown in  FIG. 20  showing an endwall corner flap  492  folded inwardly along a fold line  494  to partially underlay when viewed from the outside of said box a folded inwardly sidewall corner flap  602 ; 
           [0042]      FIG. 22  is a partially exploded, perspective view of said brood box  412  shown in  FIG. 19  partially folded towards a storage condition with respective said floors folding upwardly towards respective said endwalls and said sidewalls folding inwardly towards one another and said floor overlay insert  8  folded; 
           [0043]      FIG. 23  is a top plan view of a fourth embodiment box blank  504  of a fourth and best embodiment of the invention (said fourth embodiment also includes a duplicate, congruent fourth box blank  506  (shown in  FIG. 24 ) identical to said blank  504  and preferably has an overlay insert  8  not shown); 
           [0044]      FIG. 24  is a perspective view of two fourth embodiment box blanks  504  and  506  foldably connected together by joining means and partially folded towards a storage condition (a floor overlay insert  8  is not shown); 
           [0045]      FIG. 25  is a partially exploded perspective view of said fourth embodiment of a foldable poultry brood box  502  having a floor overlay insert  8  and said overlay insert having a transverse fold line  10  and showing said overlay insert positioned above two foldably connected brood box blanks  504  and  506  and showing a plurality of corner flaps folded inwardly; 
           [0046]      FIG. 26  is a partial perspective outside view of said fourth embodiment of said brood box  502  in a deployed condition and showing an endwall corner flap  902  folded inwardly along a fold line  904  to partially underlay a folded inwardly sidewall corner flap  912  having a sidewall corner flap bracing strut anchor hole  916  and showing a floor corner bracing strut  702  formed by a strut die cut  700  in a floor corner away from the floor free edge and folded upwardly and received in the sidewall corner flap bracing strut anchor hole; 
           [0047]      FIG. 27  is a partial perspective inside view of said brood box  502  shown in  FIG. 26  showing an endwall corner flap  902  folded inwardly along a fold line  904  to partially underlay when viewed from the outside of said box a folded inward sidewall corner flap  912 ; and 
           [0048]      FIG. 28  is a partially exploded, perspective view of said brood box  502  shown in  FIG. 25  partially folded towards a storage condition with respective said floors folding upwardly towards respective said endwalls and said sidewalls folding inwardly towards one another and said floor overlay insert  8  folded. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0049]    A foldable poultry brood box  2 ,  302 ,  412 ,  502  comprises two duplicate, congruent half brood box blanks  4  and  6 ,  304  and  306 ,  414  and  416 ,  504  and  506  operatively and foldably connected together one blank to the other blank; 
         [0050]    each said brood box blank comprising 
         [0051]    a three-panel rectangular floor  14 ,  14   a,  or  14 ′ having a floor-length floor free edge  16  and a floor-length isosceles right triangular panel  18  foldably connected respectively along each leg to one of two flanking isosceles right triangular panels  20 ,  22  each foldably connected to said floor-length isosceles right triangular panel and each having a hypotenuse respectively congruent and along one of the legs of said floor-length isosceles right triangular panel and a respective free leg of each said flanking isosceles right triangular panel forming a half of said floor free edge; 
         [0052]    an integral isosceles trapezoidal endwall  30 ,  330 ,  430 ,  530  having two endwall angled leg edges, an endwall smaller base free edge, and an endwall larger base edge, said endwall larger base edge congruent and foldably connected to said floor along the hypotenuse of said floor-length isosceles right triangular panel and said endwall extending outward from said floor; 
         [0053]    and two integral right trapezoidal sidewalls  36  and  38 ,  336  and  338 ,  436  and  438 ,  536  and  538  each sidewall having a sidewall smaller base free edge, a sidewall angled leg edge adjacent congruent and foldably connected to one of said endwall angled leg edges, a sidewall perpendicular leg free edge away from said endwall, and a sidewall larger base edge, each said sidewall larger base edge congruent and foldably connected to said floor along a leg of one of said respective flanking isosceles right triangular panels and each said sidewall respectively extending outward from said floor; and said two brood box blanks aligned to one another with respective said floor-length floor free edges adjacent one another and with respective sidewall perpendicular leg edges of one said box blank operatively and foldably connected to respective adjacent congruent said sidewall perpendicular leg free edges of the other said box blank; and said endwall smaller base free edges of said endwalls and said sidewall smaller base free edges of said sidewalls together defining an upper inner perimeter opening  88  in said brood box. 
         [0054]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  12 ,  13 ,  17 ,  23 , and  24 , each brood box blank  4 ,  6 ,  304 ,  306 ,  414 ,  416 ,  504 , and  506  has nine blank fold lines  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58 ,  60 ,  62 ,  64  and two joining tab die cuts  76 ; and preferably each box blank has at least one handhold die cut  82  defining a handhold flap  84  in each said endwall and one or more pairs of cooperating joining tab alignment indexing notches  86  distributed selectively along adjacent joining tab free edges. 
         [0055]    The best embodiment of the foldable poultry brood box  502  includes a rectangular floor overlay insert  8  having a transverse fold line  10  that is inserted and retained within a deployed brood box to overlay portions of the floor free edges and portions of the two rectangular floors of said deployed brood box. 
         [0056]    Preferably, each endwall has two flanking endwall corner joining tabs  32 ,  34  foldably connected to said endwall along a respective endwall angled leg that can be connected to a cooperating adjacent sidewall corner joining tab  40 ,  42  attached to each sidewall along a sidewall angled leg edge. 
         [0057]    A brood box blank can have a transverse sidewall hinge line  44  in one of the sidewalls  38 ,  338 ,  438 ,  538  and an associated sidewall hinging overlap tab  46  extending across and beyond said sidewall hinge line from said sidewall. 
         [0058]    Preferably, when a poultry brood box is in a deployed condition, a bag of poultry bedding  70  can be used to dispense a layer of bedding within said brood box to cover an interior floor area of said brood box. 
         [0059]    Preferably when a brood box is used in a deployed condition, a light fixture  90  is mounted to an upper inner perimeter of a brood box to illuminate and generally provide a source of warmth into said brood box and a light fixture reinforcement overlay panel  92  having a plurality of light fixture securement apertures  94 ,  96  can be attached overlaying a portion of the upper inner perimeter of the brood box to provide a mounting surface for said light fixture and provide apertures that can cooperate with said light fixture securement device  98  (zip ties, cord, wire, or other suitable tie) to secure the fixture to the brood box during use. 
         [0060]    In  FIG. 4 , angle A indicates a base angle of said right isosceles trapezoidal sidewall and angle B indicates a base angle of said isosceles trapezoidal endwall; and preferably in each brood box embodiment the base angles of the endwall and the sidewall are equal angles. 
         [0061]    In the best embodiment, staples connect the sidewalls to the endwalls, connect the sidewalls of one box blank to the other box blank, and connect the light fixture overlay panel to an endwall overlapping a portion of the upper inner perimeter of the brood box. Joining means used in connecting elements of the brood box can be staples, adhesive tape, stitching, glue, rivets (plastic or metal), zip ties, a plurality of interlocking insertable tabs of one element inserted into and retained within respective cooperating receiving apertures of a second element, or another suitable joining means. 
         [0062]    In a second embodiment of the brood box  302 , as shown in  FIGS. 12 to 16 , each brood box blank  304 ,  306  has an alternative rectangular floor  14   a  that in addition to having all of the elements of the basic embodiment floor  14  having two corner flap retaining slots  124  each said respective retaining slot located in a respective one of two interior corners of said alternative rectangular floor away from said floor free edge  16  and proximate a respective leg of said larger isosceles right triangular panel  18 ; 
         [0063]    has an alternative endwall  330  that in addition to having all of the elements of the basic embodiment endwall  30  having two endwall corner flap die cuts  390  each located proximate said respective endwall angled leg edges, each forming a respective swinging door-like sail-shaped pivotable endwall corner flap  392  having a lower distal endwall corner flap anchor tab  396  proximate said floor, and a respective proximal endwall corner flap fold line  394  perpendicular to said endwall larger base edge, each respective said endwall corner flap pivotable about said respective endwall corner flap fold line inwardly towards said floor free edge  16  and for said respective anchor tab selectively to engage and be anchored in said respective flap retaining slot; and 
         [0064]    has two alternative sidewalls  336 ,  338  that in addition to having all of the elements of the basic embodiment sidewalls  36 ,  38  each said alternative sidewall having a sidewall corner flap die cut  400  located proximate said sidewall angled leg edge, each sidewall corner flap die cut forming a swinging door-like sail-shaped pivotable sidewall corner flap  402  proximate said floor having a proximal sidewall corner flap fold line  404  perpendicular to said sidewall larger base edge, said sidewall corner flap pivotable about said sidewall corner flap fold line inwardly towards said floor free edge  16  to be selectively anchored behind said endwall corner flap. 
         [0065]    In a third embodiment of the brood box  412 , as shown in  FIGS. 17 to 22 , each brood box blank  414 ,  416  has an alternative rectangular floor  14 ′ that in addition to having all of the elements of the basic embodiment floor  14  having two floor corner bracing strut die cuts  700  each said respective bracing strut die cut located in a respective one of two interior corners of said alternative rectangular floor away from said floor free edge  16  and proximate a respective leg of said larger isosceles right triangular panel  18  and each said bracing strut die cut forming a respective pivotable floor corner bracing strut  702  having a bracing strut free end  706  and a respective proximal bracing strut fold line  704  perpendicular and across said respective leg of said larger isosceles right triangular panel, each respective said bracing strut pivotable about said respective strut fold line upwardly; 
         [0066]    has an alternative endwall  430  that in addition to having all of the elements of the basic embodiment endwall  30  having two alternative endwall corner flap die cuts  490  each located proximate said respective endwall angled leg edges, each forming a respective swinging door-like sail-shaped pivotable endwall corner flap  492  having a lower distal angled corner and a lower distal endwall corner flap anchor hole  496  proximate said floor, and a respective proximal endwall corner flap fold line  494  perpendicular to said endwall larger base edge, each respective said endwall corner flap pivotable about said respective endwall corner flap fold line inwardly towards said floor free edge  16  and for said respective anchor hole selectively to engage and be anchored by said respective bracing strut free end of respective said bracing strut; and 
         [0067]    has two alternative sidewalls  436 ,  438  that in addition to having all of the elements of the basic embodiment sidewalls  36 ,  38  each said alternative sidewall having a sidewall corner flap die cut  600  located proximate said sidewall angled leg edge, each sidewall corner flap die cut forming a swinging door-like sail-shaped pivotable sidewall corner flap  602  having a lower distal angled corner and a lower distal sidewall corner flap anchor hole  606  proximate said floor and a proximal sidewall corner flap fold line  604  perpendicular to said sidewall larger base edge, said sidewall corner flap pivotable about said sidewall corner flap fold line inwardly towards said floor free edge  16  for said respective anchor hole selectively to engage and be anchored by said respective bracing strut. 
         [0068]    In a fourth and best embodiment of the brood box  502 , as shown in  FIGS. 23 to 28 , each brood box blank  504 ,  506  has an alternative rectangular floor  14 ′ that in addition to having all of the elements of the basic embodiment floor  14  having two floor corner bracing strut die cuts  900  each said respective bracing strut die cut located in a respective one of two interior corners of said alternative rectangular floor away from said floor free edge  16  and proximate a respective leg of said larger isosceles right triangular panel  18  and each said bracing strut die cut forming a respective pivotable floor corner bracing strut  702  having a bracing strut free end  706  and a respective proximal bracing strut fold line  704  perpendicular and across said respective leg of said larger isosceles right triangular panel, each respective said bracing strut pivotable about said respective strut fold line upwardly; 
         [0069]    has an alternative endwall  530  that in addition to having all of the elements of the basic embodiment endwall  30  having two alternative endwall corner flap die cuts  900  each located proximate said respective endwall angled leg edges, each forming a respective swinging door-like sail-shaped pivotable endwall corner flap  902  having a lower distal rounded corner and a lower distal endwall corner flap anchor hole  906  proximate said floor, and a respective proximal endwall corner flap fold line  904  perpendicular to said endwall larger base edge, each respective said endwall corner flap pivotable about said respective endwall corner flap fold line inwardly towards said floor free edge  16  and for said respective anchor hole selectively to engage and be anchored by said respective bracing strut; and 
         [0070]    has two alternative sidewalls  536 ,  538  that in addition to having all of the elements of the basic embodiment sidewalls  36 ,  38  each said alternative sidewall having a sidewall corner flap die cut  910  located proximate said sidewall angled leg edge, each sidewall corner flap die cut forming a swinging door-like sail-shaped pivotable sidewall corner flap  912  having a lower distal sidewall corner flap anchor hole  916  proximate said floor and a proximal sidewall corner flap fold line  914  perpendicular to said sidewall larger base edge, said sidewall corner flap pivotable about said sidewall corner flap fold line inwardly towards said floor free edge  16  for said respective anchor hole selectively to engage and be anchored by said respective bracing strut. 
         [0071]    Each embodiment of the brood box invention may have a plurality of vent flap die cuts  800  selectively distributed across said endwalls forming a plurality of pivotable vent flaps  802  that can be pivoted about a respective plurality of vent flap fold lines  804 . 
         [0072]    The preceding description and exposition of the invention is presented for purposes of illustration and enabling disclosure. It is neither intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications or variations in the invention in light of the above teachings that are obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art are considered within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted to the breath to which they fairly, legitimately and equitably are entitled.