*Cramped Chicks!! Please, need a solution...*

Do you have any big cardbored boxes or a dog crate? We used a dog crate for my 8 chickens for a long time.

depending on the weather outside and their age do you think maybe its time for the outdoors?

I hear ya.  I've got three BO's in my garage and I'm SOOOO ready to get them outside.

I brood mine in these fence panels I bought from Lowes:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_320834-16418-838175_4294807986_4294937087_?productId=3160177&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl_Decorative%2BGarden%2BFence%2BPanels_4294807986_4294937087_%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=

I hope that link works.  If not, go to Lowes and do a search on the following:
Garden Zone 44" x 71" Decorative Leaf Design Garden Fence Panel Black

Item #: 320834 |  Model #: 838175

You'll need to buy two sets which will give you four panels.  They get marginal reviews because it's tough to get them level out in the garden.  But if you are making a square in your garage, they work great.

You can run a large dowel through the fence to give them something to perch on.  Or I'll put in a small box or tub of sand for them to dust bath in.  Put in  on top of a big tarp for easy cleaning.

And then it works great out in the garden after you are done brooding.  You can put it around plants to protect them from the hens.  Or if you have a big run like I do, move it out into the run and put them in it so the big girls can see the little ones but not get to them.  Gives them time to get to know one another before they all become one big happy family.

When we got our day old BR chicks this past spring, we had them inside. Turned out because of a REALLY cold spring here, they had to stay inside for the most part for two months.

Bathroom toilets make great places for chicks to ambush each other around and hide behind.

I cleaned the entire bathroom with bleach,  all the time singing the Hallelujah Chorus when we got them out!


They won't be bored if you give 'em a bathroom! You on the other hand...

I don't know where you have your chicks. If there is room in the basement or you can hang heat lamps in a corner of your garage, you can get 4 x 4 movable cages for pets that would work. Cover the floor with a painters tarp (plastic) and put newspaper down over that. When you clean it's just the newspaper, but when they move outside and you pick up the plastic, your floor should be clean.

Yea, dog crates are small.  But I do have one and will put them in it and put them out on the patio on a nice day, suppose to be in the mid 60's here this weekend, while I clean out their brooder.  Just lift up the panels and take the tarp out and toss it on the side yard.  Pretty easy.  And then I'll let the big girls out of their run to come up and say hello to the babies but they can't get to them in the dog crate so it's a great way for them to get to know one another in a safe manner.

I put mine in an old play pen.  I posted on craigslist and freecycle for a play pen that wasn't being used or what not.  I got two of them for free one had a tear I was able to sew shut, the other a quarter size burn hole.  I put duck tape on both sides works great. We put some mesh over the top and have raised all our chicks in them.   I put  a piece of plastic across the bottom of it to stop the bottom from becoming nasty, filled with pine shavings.  The feeder and water are on  a garden stones I can add more to move them up if needed to keep them from getting it all gross.  When it is time to clean we just take the whole thing outside dump/wipe more pine and we are good.  You don't have a ton of chicks but when we have a lot I will put some of that all natural recycled paper cat litter in the bottom to absorb the excrement liquids and keep the smell down.  That has been my best bet so far.  We also use the play pens if an animal is hurt and what not.   

Hope this helps

Christal

This worked well for me:



You don't need the wooden hutch,  and I put tarp on the floor to prevent staining.