Brooder Box outside?

[kat salamon]

Hi, I am doing my 2nd hatch and was wondering if anyone puts their brooder box outside? Mine has a latch I can lock it with but we do have raccoons, opossums and cats in the area. Do you think they would scare or torment the chicks? Below is picture of the box which is currently storing my hay

Thanks!
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[lazy gardener]

Best bet would be to put the box in an area which can be secured from access to coon, possum, cats.

 

[kat salamon]

Dang it. It got messy last time we had them in the house...the dust and little feathers ended up everywhere! I was hoping I could keep them outside. We don't have a garage, barn or shed to put them in. Thanks!

 

[GuineaGabe]

Last year I kept chicks and poults in a wood box that looks just like the one you have! I had it on my porch that has a over hang roof all summer long!
I even used a big heavy duty plastic cow trough with hardware cloth on top.
So if you have a porch that has a roof over it you should do that.
We have a big dog in the house and one night Something was checking out the chicks our dog started barking inside the house we ran out of bed and we ran out side with the gun! But all we got was a turn of the head and it was gone.
I think it was a cougar because when we let the dog out, once she got near to it she stopped.
And there was lots of cougar sightings at the time!

 

[kat salamon]

Thanks! We do not have any cougars around. We do have coyotes but I don't think they have come in our backyard. I do have a covered patio and that is where I was thinking of keeping them. Thanks again

 

[lazy gardener]

My big concern would be a predator hanging over the top, and scaring the chicks into a pig pile which can result in smothering deaths. What you could do to prevent such an issue would be to build a chicken wire outer box/run that that brooder could set in. It depends on how fancy you want to get. I think that if I was faced with brooding in the house, versus getting them out in a sturdy brooder, I'd opt to get them out. But, I'd scavage around to see if I could come up with something to add a second layer of security, even if only emotional security.

 

[kat salamon]

I am only hatching 4 this time but I don't want them terrorized. Maybe I will just suck it up and have them inside again. Thanks