Brooder suddenly too small

[NickyPick]

I came home from work and sat down on the couch to talk to Mom and looked over my shoulder to the brooder. One of my EE's was stretching her neck, looking at me. A few seconds later, Garnet suddenly stretched her neck up to look at me. I told them "hi" and turned back to mom. Suddenly there was another peep, so I looked back at the brooder and there was Garnet on the floor outside the brooder!!!

Apparently Garnet had such fun sitting on my shoulder yesterday during the chicks' first outing, that when I got home today, she just had to come greet me. Ha. I think I better raise the walls or get some netting to cover it pronto!

 

[gryeyes]

That's one reason why I have my brooders in my bathroom. I actually encourage the chicks to get out, cheering their perching abilities, talking softly to them when they make excursions out of the brooder. Bathroom is small and quite easy to clean.

Right now, they are more able to get out than get back in, so when I hear upset peeping from the bathroom I go in there, opening the door to find a chick standing in the middle of the bath mat. I just pick 'em up and put 'em back in the brooder(s). When they hop back in on their own, I tell 'em what big chickens they are!

Yah, I am pretty odd.

 

[carladababe]

I am in the process of building a bigger brooder for my 11 2 1/2 week old chicks that a quickly growing out of their first. I made a lid with chicken wire with a wood frame. The other day I was changing their shavings with the lid slightly ajar, turned around for a minute, when I looked back at the brooder there was one of my Barred Rocks sitting up at the edge, with the look of intent on checking out the floor. She didn't get far, but they all look up at the top of the brooder now. I'm not a carpenter and their new brooder will not be pretty but it will be functional until they are able to go outside to their beautiful much bigger coop. Good luck.

 

[daddysgirlz]

But really now...mine are about 2 1/2 weeks old as well....they are starting to jump straight up and flap those wings.. how big does the actual box need to be?? I feel like they are crowded in there..I have six chicks in a 24"x24" box 24" tall....Is that all they need until i put them outside??? Or will they need more room....If the box gets much bigger I wont have anywhere to put it...HELP! They are like little naughty 2 yr olds too!!!

 

[NickyPick]

I think I'm good floor-wise until they're a bit older. I've got a large wading pool with cardboard walls up. I'm going to see about putting that orange construction fencing I got yesterday to make the outdoor pen across the top. Hopefully that's all it will take.

They were 5 days in this picture. Now they're perching on TOP of the feeders/waterers!

 

[no1hilbily]

how do you post picts

 

[NickyPick]

I went to the "upload" link on the blue bar on the top of the screen and after uploading, copied the IMG link and then pasted into the message box of the message I was writing. I find it easier to have the upload page on a new tab.

I laid a strip of that orange fencing over the top of my brooder tonight. One piece covered the whole width, so that's a little piece of mind there!