Anyone use these pens for baby chicks?

[WhiteWyan]

This is all such good info, everyone!

I wouldn't brood indoors given the option to use a garage basement or existing run. Their dander gets pretty excessive and into every nook and cranny to clean out. Brooding outdoors is the way to go plenty people I've heard of in the far Northeast do that without exception using only that Mama heating pad method.

I will be using MHP for sure. I was planning on using my side room but now you have me re thinking that. I do have the option of my side porch or my yard. Is that do able?
This is my porch. And my cat just now because he is so cute!

 

[noregerts]

It looks like a good little starter home but not for that many chicks. As others have said, they grow at lightning speed. I’ve used a similar set-up several times for a few babies, less than ten at a time.

 

[WhiteWyan]

I have not . The brooders i built have two swinging doors. I open one and sweep out the litter with a hand brush a d dust pan then replace. The chicks all move to the other side while I am doingit. Then I do the other side. Takes 5min.

Dust pan seems like the way to go! Great idea thank you

 

[WhiteWyan]

Is your outside coop/run ready for the chicks or are you in the process of building one?
Do you have a garage or shed you can put them in? If their outdoor housing is ready, can you brood them there?

They will be living at my mother's house, they will have a huge coop and run (6×6 coop and 6×12 ft run with free ranging eventually). My mother lives an hour away. My plan is to raise them until they are hardy and then drive them to her. Am I crazy? @_@

As for cleaning it, it looks like you need to buy the liner separately. That said, IF I do keep chicks inside (usually no more than a week), I use puppy pads, less dust and easy cleanup, but if you plan on 8 weeks, that would be expensive.
If you were going to do this, then it would be a good idea to cut a piece of plastic large enough to go in the bottom of the brooder, put in a thin layer of shavings (bedding). Scoop poop daily. When they get older (chicks are STINKY!) you likely want to change the bedding daily too - this is where your plastic comes in, pull it up and fold over, so you can take it and dump all the bedding. You will need a place to put the chicks while you do a total clean out as well.
43L x 43W x 29H inches
https://judychicken.com/products/chick-brooderplaypen

Thank you so much, this definitely seem like the best way, to make a disposable liner and remove bedding like that. I am still brainstorming but my plan was to use the 3 ft high metal dog pen I bought a couple years ago. It has 6 panels that are 3 ft wide each. It has a little door. My thoughts were to put down a heavy duty tarp in my side room and line the pen with 1/2 inch hardware cloth around the sides and leave the bottom open. I was going to fashion a metal screen lid of sorts and just haven't thought of how to manage the litter, was thinking of picking the whole thing up and moving it over while chicks were in a big storage tote for 5 minutes.

Sorry I have to be going but I will be back. I really appreciate all the feedback everyone I am so grateful. I have raised chicks 2 times before in rabbit cages but I hated the bending over and changing of the puppy pads that used to line them, since the door was so small. Always used MHP and pine shavings too.

 

[Mtnboomer]

This is all such good info, everyone!


I will be using MHP for sure. I was planning on using my side room but now you have me re thinking that. I do have the option of my side porch or my yard. Is that do able?
This is my porch. And my cat just now because he is so cute!

In my experience, baby chicks dont smell bad so starting them indoors isn't offensive. Our very first hatch came in winter a few years ago. I was building the brooders butthey were not complete. So for the first 2 wks i had 14 chicks in a 75 gallon aquarium in my bsmt. It was fun because we could watch them and handle them in the warm comforts of home. However they made an incredible amount of dust scratching around in their wood chips. I could not wait to move them into our set up in the garage!

 

[MtnHarmony]

I wouldn't brood indoors given the option to use a garage basement or existing run. Their dander gets pretty excessive and into every nook and cranny to clean out. Brooding outdoors is the way to go plenty people I've heard of in the far Northeast do that without exception using only that Mama heating pad method. Also if you search for that on this forum you'll find you can make it yourself for around 13 or $14. It sure beats running a 250 watt light bulb to keep them warm 4 8weeks. My heat pad tops out at 18 Watts.

Hi AllenK RGV! Could you provide me with more info on your heating pad that you use? I have only found ones around 50-60watts. Trying to buy something for a brooder box for my chicks.

 

[NWHeather]

If that is the size of a similar ferret pen I used to have, no, I'm pretty sure they will outgrow it before 8 weeks.
I ended up getting more chicks than planned and am now rethinking my brooding plans. I intended to keep them indoors for the 8 weeks, but now am going to accelerate my plans of setting up a brooder outside with the coop that I am building.

I also like the heating pad idea over the bulb option.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They will be living at my mother's house, they will have a huge coop and run (6×6 coop and 6×12 ft run with free ranging eventually). My mother lives an hour away. My plan is to raise them until they are hardy and then drive them to her. Am I crazy? @_@

That space might be a bit tight for 20 chickens.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Everyone has their own ideas that is best for them.

 

[WhiteWyan]

That space might be a bit tight for 20 chickens.

Yes, it would be but they will eventually integrate into my moms currently flock once all is said and done, a predator proof structure I built which is two coops and two runs all in a long structure about 45 feet long, with a fenced in yard with 200 linear ft fencing and also free ranging.

Edited to add, 20 is just my estimation. No idea how many will hatch!!