Raising Chicks In a Portacot

[ausmumof3]

How do you plan to handle clean up at the end? I feel like the fabric could be hard to clean and probably more prone to mould or rotting if it gets damp. Otherwise under the verandah should be fine, you can always bring them in the house if there’s a hot spell.
I wouldn’t have chicks in there where we are because foxes or cats would be able to rip through the sides.

 

[pelicanchook]

Hi Sage,
I'm in Australia too, and I have used a portacot with great success. I let mum look after the peeps in my nursery (old dog kennel) until they were about 8 weeks old, then as she got fed up with the task, I moved them to the portacot to let them get bigger before they joined the flock. It was summer in South Australia so they didn't need a heater. I had shade cloth over the top of the portacot so they had no danger from hawks and other predators. When they were big enough for integration with the rest of the flock, I turned the portacot on its side so they could come and go as they pleased, and dash back to it if they felt threatened. Within 3 days they didn't need the portacot any more and I removed it and cleaned it ready for next time.

 

[Sagey_7878]

How do you plan to handle clean up at the end? I feel like the fabric could be hard to clean and probably more prone to mould or rotting if it gets damp. Otherwise under the verandah should be fine, you can always bring them in the house if there’s a hot spell.
I wouldn’t have chicks in there where we are because foxes or cats would be able to rip through the sides.

Hi, I will be having the portacot under the pergola and will move them in a carrier while I clean the portacot. I will be having wood shavings (wood chips) and for the surface on the bottom I can always put cardboard. @pelicanchook has done this method before and also lives in Australia and said it worked perfect, without any moulding of the fabric. We have hardly any predators, I’ll put them wire over the top for protection and so they don’t fly out.

 

[Sagey_7878]

Hi Sage,
I'm in Australia too, and I have used a portacot with great success. I let mum look after the peeps in my nursery (old dog kennel) until they were about 8 weeks old, then as she got fed up with the task, I moved them to the portacot to let them get bigger before they joined the flock. It was summer in South Australia so they didn't need a heater. I had shade cloth over the top of the portacot so they had no danger from hawks and other predators. When they were big enough for integration with the rest of the flock, I turned the portacot on its side so they could come and go as they pleased, and dash back to it if they felt threatened. Within 3 days they didn't need the portacot any more and I removed it and cleaned it ready for next time.

Thank you for the reassurance and you’re the first person that I know of that has used a portacot to raise chicks that lives in Australia, I’m in Victoria. Did you have any problems with the fabric becoming mouldy? What did you use on the bottom? Did you take any photos of them inside? Thanks once again!

 

[reason]

Hi everyone, I’m Sage and I am from Australia. This may be a bad idea, not sure so that’s why I’m here. So, I have 8 hens at home and have have had chickens for quite a few years now, but have never raised any (I let my broody hens raise them). I started to think what if I wanted to raise day old chicks so I can choose how many I want and know that they will all mostly make it compared to fertile eggs where not all the eggs hatch. Yesterday I went to a pet store and they had a chick kit, with a heat lamp, feeder and drinker and those enclosure, which is similar to this picture.
View attachment 2000816
When they grow feathers I have enclosures outsides they can live in. Then I was starting to think that area was too small for when they grow, and we have an old portacot we don’t use anymore, so I thought, hey!, why not use the portacot instead of throwing it away? We have pergola area outside so there are brick walls and a roof so it would be protected by wind and rain, for the heat lamp to keep them warm, I can run a extension cord from the garage to there and clamp the heat lamp on one of the 4 sides of the portacot. Would that be okay? Are heat lamps good? To chick proof the portacot, I would put cardboard on the bottom and then put a layer of wood shavings. Do I need to put cardboard on the sides? Here is an image for those who may be unsure of what a portacot is. My portacot has 2 sides covered and other 2 sides are like the one in the image. So what do you guys think? Any suggestions if I were to use the portacot? I can also put it inside we would get rid of the sound and smell if we put them under the pergola. Also what’s better, using heat pads for heat lamps? Thank you in advance!
View attachment 2000827

 

[reason]

I live in Victoria also and know the days are very hot, (at the moment we are in the grip of horrific bushfires) and the nights can be very cold. We can have four seasons in one day!

A portacot is fabric and to put anything which resembles heat in one would be crazy as it is made up of synthetic fabric.

If you want to raise chicks do it the right way and invest in the kit from the pet store, which would probably be more hygienic anyway and more comfortable for the babies.

As far as predators go we have many and the main ones in urban Victoria at night are cats and foxes.

Cheers

 

[Sagey_7878]

I live in Victoria also and know the days are very hot, (at the moment we are in the grip of horrific bushfires) and the nights can be very cold. We can have four seasons in one day!

A portacot is fabric and to put anything which resembles heat in one would be crazy as it is made up of synthetic fabric.

If you want to raise chicks do it the right way and invest in the kit from the pet store, which would probably be more hygienic anyway and more comfortable for the babies.

As far as predators go we have many and the main ones in urban Victoria at night are cats and foxes.

Cheers

Sorry, but I disagree! We probably live in different suburbs which would make the predators we have different. I saw kits at the pet store and they’re quite terrible! Small cages with a HEAT LAMP and hardly any space for chicks, by the time they are 2 weeks it will be too small. The portacot would be more comfortable for the chicks. I would be putting wood shavings on the bottom, which are Ecoglow brooder would be fine on. They will be under the pergola so they’re protected from the elements and the different seasons we can have in one day. @pelicanchook also lives in Australia and used a portacot and had no problems. If you have any other suggestions of a big brooder I can use them feel free! Otherwise the portacot is what I will be using.

 

[Sagey_7878]

Hey @drumstick diva whats your opinion on this idea?

 

[Cheery]

Hi everyone, I’m Sage and I am from Australia. This may be a bad idea, not sure so that’s why I’m here. So, I have 8 hens at home and have have had chickens for quite a few years now, but have never raised any (I let my broody hens raise them). I started to think what if I wanted to raise day old chicks so I can choose how many I want and know that they will all mostly make it compared to fertile eggs where not all the eggs hatch. Yesterday I went to a pet store and they had a chick kit, with a heat lamp, feeder and drinker and those enclosure, which is similar to this picture.
View attachment 2000816
When they grow feathers I have enclosures outsides they can live in. Then I was starting to think that area was too small for when they grow, and we have an old portacot we don’t use anymore, so I thought, hey!, why not use the portacot instead of throwing it away? We have pergola area outside so there are brick walls and a roof so it would be protected by wind and rain, for the heat lamp to keep them warm, I can run a extension cord from the garage to there and clamp the heat lamp on one of the 4 sides of the portacot. Would that be okay? Are heat lamps good? To chick proof the portacot, I would put cardboard on the bottom and then put a layer of wood shavings. Do I need to put cardboard on the sides? Here is an image for those who may be unsure of what a portacot is. My portacot has 2 sides covered and other 2 sides are like the one in the image. So what do you guys think? Any suggestions if I were to use the portacot? I can also put it inside we would get rid of the sound and smell if we put them under the pergola. Also what’s better, using heat pads for heat lamps? Thank you in advance!
View attachment 2000827

Hi there I’ve raised hundreds of chicks and my latest best thing is a big plastic storage box from the dollar shop with an electric heat pad from the pet shop in it. I use newspaper and babies nappies on top when chicks are new. 9 so they can walk properly as newspaper is slippery) Babies nappies are great they go into a nappy san bucket when they’re dirty and I reuse them.
I train the chicks to food with my finger pecking the food like momma hen. I put my finger into water to get food onto it they usually peck at my finger. Once a chick is all fluffed up and comes out of the incubator I dunk their beak in water to get them drinking. I do this a few times the first day or so.
Anyway after about a week they would have enough sense for the big space of the portable cot I’m sure. The heat pad will be ideal to. Just train them where it is. The could have it inside a cardboard box for extra warmth. I use old woollen socks on top of the heat pad as a sort of mother/nest. They definitely love to nestle up to something. Use a very small water container so they don’t drown in it.

 

[Sagey_7878]

Hi there I’ve raised hundreds of chicks and my latest best thing is a big plastic storage box from the dollar shop with an electric heat pad from the pet shop in it. I use newspaper and babies nappies on top when chicks are new. 9 so they can walk properly as newspaper is slippery) Babies nappies are great they go into a nappy san bucket when they’re dirty and I reuse them.
I train the chicks to food with my finger pecking the food like momma hen. I put my finger into water to get food onto it they usually peck at my finger. Once a chick is all fluffed up and comes out of the incubator I dunk their beak in water to get them drinking. I do this a few times the first day or so.
Anyway after about a week they would have enough sense for the big space of the portable cot I’m sure. The heat pad will be ideal to. Just train them where it is. The could have it inside a cardboard box for extra warmth. I use old woollen socks on top of the heat pad as a sort of mother/nest. They definitely love to nestle up to something. Use a very small water container so they don’t drown in it.

Thank you! Do you think the portacot is safe to use considering the material and the heating pad I want to get?