Brooder Location Questions.

[Harmony Fowl]

Something I did with my Ecoglow that worked and may work for you when you go to transition them outdoors: I put the Ecoglow under a box, sort of a combined heating plate and huddle box, without the assembly of a mama heating pad. The box was only just barely tall enough to accommodate the Ecoglow at its highest and I left three of the sides intact so heat could only escape out one side. I cut out the bottom so they would be on the ground and not soggy cardboard. It was actually the box for my incubator, if that gives you the idea of its size. I put the chicks outside at two weeks with this in their brooder, a puppy play pen inside the coop that was 30x90 inches. They did well in there until I felt comfortable letting them have the run of the coop about 10 days later. This was before this super cold weather, but still December in the mountains of Virginia.

Another idea, and I’ve done this, too: if you decide it must be the basement, once they are weaned off heat (since there’s only one Ecoglow, same here, too) maybe you could split them up into separate brooders? This worked well for me when I had other chicks still coming in for the night but spending the day outside. Once they don’t need the heat inside, they can sleep in anything that can contain them.

 

[saraiquimby1]

@Blooie and @junebuggena so what I could do is maybe start them in the basement and use the horse stall as a transition before i put them out in the coop?
Horse stall coop looks like this-it used to be full use but now I use it for sick/injured birds and babies in the summer.
and then the actual chicken coop is the second picture. I have 12 hens currently and 1 roo. Happy healthy chickens

 

[saraiquimby1]

I was thinking of getting one of the rabbit hutch/chicken coop things to keep them in in the basement. That maybe is like this- As big as I can find. Sort of like that anyway

 

[Harmony Fowl]

I was thinking of getting one of the rabbit hutch/chicken coop things to keep them in in the basement. That maybe is like this- As big as I can find. Sort of like that anyway

I actually just got one like that, but a double decker, from Groupon. I haven’t assembled it yet.

 

[junebuggena]

I was thinking of getting one of the rabbit hutch/chicken coop things to keep them in in the basement. That maybe is like this- As big as I can find. Sort of like that anyway

A wardrobe box is going to be bigger than any hutch you can buy (they are about 6x3), and much cheaper.

 

[saraiquimby1]

@junebuggena what do you use on the bottom? And how can I keep them from hopping out of it once they are bigger? If they will have to stay inside for 4-6 weeks?

 

[lazy gardener]

I think you should wait, honestly.
You could keep them in the basement in a huge cardboard box. Look around and put "in search of" ads up for a 50 sq ft or so box.

Agreed.

I was thinking of getting one of the rabbit hutch/chicken coop things to keep them in in the basement. That maybe is like this- As big as I can find. Sort of like that anyway

I urge you to save your money. Don't waste your money on a hutch. Chicks double their size every week. By the time they are 2 - 3 weeks old, they should have 2 s.f./chick. (open space)That's 30 - 40 s.f.! You can pick up as many appliance boxes as you need for free from any appliance warehouse if you call ahead. A refrigerator box can easily be 3' x 6'. Join 2 of those, and you will have a nice sized brooder. I am a strong advocate of MHP brooding. I've never used an eco glo. If you have that, it's a reasonable plan, but... IMO the MHP is superior b/c of it's infinite adjustability, and the fact that it can be used in very cold temps.

So, if you are determined to start winter chicks, I suggest the appliance box(es) in your basement, with supplemented lighting. You will have to wean them off heat, and work on hardening them off to outdoor temps.

But, my recommendation is that you wait until spring. A sudden storm with power outage could be a death sentence to your chicks, unless you have a generator, and can get it going right away if such a storm were to happen. This winter has been brutal for many of us. Adding chicks to the mix is not something that I would consider.

 

[lazy gardener]

When I've set up appliance boxes, I put a good layer of cardboard on the floor as insulation. I cover that with a tarp, or a sheet of heavy plastic or shower curtain. Then place the boxes. Add the shavings. Don't bother to clean shavings out, simply top off with fresh shavings as required. It's imperative that you avoid water spills. I never have water spills b/c I hang my chick waterers, and check to be sure that they are hanging level, and check to be sure that the bottle/base union is not cross threaded. Something as simple as a waterer being a little crooked, having a piece of grit between the base and the jar threads, or chicks kicking shavings into the base can cause all of the water to leak out into the bedding: as you know, a very unsafe situation.

For a top, depending on the size, I use a patio door screen. Or you could secure some bird netting over the top with clothes pins. Of course it's imperative that you keep pets away from such a set up.

 

[saraiquimby1]

Not worried about heat or whatever in the basement, even if a storm. We are covered there. This is not my first time, as I said. I have added chicks in January every year for the last 4 years, just never this many. So I was wondering about an easier solution than what i've been doing. But what I have done previously has worked fine, I don't lose chicks and they acclimate to the outside just fine

My husband has a box from a gun safe that I just measured and it's 5 foot long, 17 inches tall and 21 inches across the bottom. Is that big enough? Just wondering if I can use what I have now, no problem if not

 

[lazy gardener]

Use that and add to it in an other week or so.