Cat Proof Indoor Brooder?

[Missusg]

Not sure if this the right forum, but we are looking to get some new baby chicks that we'll eventually introduce to our current birds. We raised our other chickens indoors until they were feathered. The only problem is that now we have a cat. We adopted an older cat that belonged to my friend's Mom who passed away. She is very sweet, but she likes to roam and explore. I'm trying to figure out a way to have baby chicks and this inquisitive cat in the house at the same time! Any clever ideas out there?

Much obliged!

-Karen

 

[Notaneggspurt]

I used a deep box with a heat plate for a brooder and a baby gate with bungee cords to secure it. It was deep enough that even a curious paw couldn't reach down far enough to knock anything over. Keep a close eye on cords if you suspect they might be a chewer. I think they were more attracted to the extra warmth more than the chicks themselves.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens Karen lots of hardware cloth but not in the same room as the cat

 

[Melodychick]

I keep my chicks in a bathroom with the door closed. When I move them outside, they stay in a hardware cloth brooder and the secure coop until big enough that the cats loose interest.

 

[aart]

We raised our other chickens indoors until they were feathered.

How old was that?
Do you have pics of the brooder you used then?

 

[Criticalicious]

I have a cat and I brooded 5 chicks last spring. I used a large dog crate with 1/4" mesh attached to the sides and door with zip ties, and cardboard on the bottom. This prevented chicks from escaping through the bars. Then the brooder was set up in a place in the house that could be blocked off to prevent access to the cat. At first the cat wanted in and was very interested in getting at the baby chicks, but she's trainable and quickly learned that that area was off limits. Even sitting outside the area, watching through the dog gate, was off-limits and earned a scolding. And she could see the chicks from her food station in the kitchen. She quickly learned it was better to ignore them.

If I were to do it again or if I had more than a handful of chicks, I might QT them in the unfinished basement or a separate room with a door that closes. We chose the laundry room area because the flooring is linoleum rather than carpet, and thus, easily cleaned. In March, the basement was still a bit cold for baby chicks, and the area off the kitchen was more convenient.

 

[PirateGirl]

How many chicks? You could pretty easily make something like this. A brooder plate or MHP or heat lamp could be used with this setup. (not my image, grabbed it from a google image search)

 

[Missusg]

How old was that?
Do you have pics of the brooder you used then?

I borrowed this homemade broder from a friend at work.

 

[Missusg]

How many chicks? You could pretty easily make something like this. A brooder plate or MHP or heat lamp could be used with this setup. (not my image, grabbed it from a google image search)

That's like the one we borrowed for our first chicks. We're only going to get 3 or 4 again.

 

[aart]

I borrowed this homemade broder from a friend at work.

If the lid locks, that should keep a cat out.