1 week old chicks trying to fly out of brooder?

[MontanaDolphin]

My 6 babies turned a week old on Wednesday. Since yesterday, they have been attempting to fly out of the brooder. They stretch their neck as far as it will go, eyeballing the top edges of the brooder, run, jump and flap their wings. Today one was able to fly and land on top of the plastic feeder. My brooder is just a big cardboard box, about 3 inches shy of 2 feet tall. Is that too short? This is my first time raising chicks, and I thought chickens were terrible at flying. Should I clip their wings, or ductape some cardboard around the top edges to make it taller? I don't want them to get out...I have a chocolate lab who looks at them like they are her next snack, and I've been trying to train her to understand they are off limits, but if one gets out, and starts running, I don't think she'll live it alone...and I might have a dead or injured chick on my hands. We've been without electricity since Wednesday (11 inches of wet heavy snow took down tons of trees and power lines here in Goochland County Virginia), and normally they would be in the spare bedroom with the door closed, but I've had to move them into the den where the woodstove is in case the generator runs out of gas and they are without their heat lamp until I get it refeuled.

Can anyone tell me what I should do?? Thanks!

 

[Fred's Hens]

A wood stove will normally provide adequate warmth during a power loss.

Chicks will fly right out of a brooder with 2' sides. You'll need to have 3' sides. At 4 weeks? You'll need to sometimes put netting over the top to keep them in. LOL.

The good news is that at 5 weeks, with spring in full swing at that time? They don't/won't need to be in the brooder anymore.

 

[AnotherSusan]

Throw something over the top. An old window screen works great, but even a sheet or blanket will work.

They can get pretty high

And they won't stop trying.

 

[debid]

I'd get to work on much taller walls or a top. They'll only get better at flying and the desire to explore is strong.

 

[tammylynn4647]

Mine are doing the same thing, they have just realized that they have wings! The past few days all they have been doing is stretching and preening. Then, I woke up two mornings ago and found this:

Two of my little peeps had managed to get themselves stuck inside the feeder! Needless to say I went to TSC and bought a horizontal feeder. Today I made a chicken wire cover for the top of the cage...last thing I would ever want it one of the babies to get out and not make their back!

 

[leemamahen]

I have the screen for my back door over my brooder right now. When I had it off just a little while ago I was crouched down next to it and one flew right up to the top! My box is about two feet high and my chicks are 11 days old!

 

[debid]

Mine are doing the same thing, they have just realized that they have wings! The past few days all they have been doing is stretching and preening. Then, I woke up two mornings ago and found this: Two of my little peeps had managed to get themselves stuck inside the feeder! Needless to say I went to TSC and bought a horizontal feeder. Today I made a chicken wire cover for the top of the cage...last thing I would ever want it one of the babies to get out and not make their back!

I used an oatmeal container lid on mine. It didn't fit perfectly but was close enough to keep them out. Just cut a little hole so the hanger fits through.

 

[tammylynn4647]

I ended up putting an old plate on top until I could get the low to the ground horizontal feeder. I know that I will definitely use the vertical one when the babies are old enough for the coop. And I am sure the horizontal one will come in handy as well...these girls love to eat!!

 

[critterwhisper]

Lol! I have chicken fence over both my brooders after i had escape attempts a few weeks back. So now i have to crate my bulldog for a few minutes when its time to feed or clean the brooders. I have one bsl that she always is on top of their water fount i swear she just likes to see whats going on. Then when i take the screens off to feed i usually have two or three that will fly up and perch on top of theirbrooder just watching till i put their feeder back in.lol then in the other brooder i have a americana or EE that always flys up and perches,such naughty gals

 

[Chickenmama685]

I am currently having this problem, what did you end up doing?