Well, everyone is out of the tub now. They have been getting out for the past week, but one at a time. Yesterday three were out, so I figured it was time to let them have more room. I put down the pine shavings bedding all over the floor of the bathroom, moved their waterer and food, and of course moved everyone out onto the floor. I still have the 4 - 4 1/2 foot tall pet gate across the door way (the gate has a walk through door) and the shorter child gate across also, so that none of my furkids can reach into the room through the slats of the child gate. Plus to keep any of the chicks from being able to walk through the slats. They will be 5 weeks old this coming Monday, but the spaces of the pet gate is still wide enough they could get through.
I would like to have moved them outside to new home, but the chicken house (a nice 10x10 shed, with floor, real wood walls and roof and shingled roof) is not ready yet. Hubby still has it on the stacked 2x4's (stacked tall) and he has not gotten any vents for ventilation in it yet. I am hoping this weekend he will solve all those issues.
For vents I am thinking of using return air vents (like in houses for air return to your heating and cooling system). They have ones that are 2-3 feet long and about 8 inches tall (some even 12 inches tall). The venting ribs are small enough that I don't think snakes (maybe babies or smaller garter snakes) could get in. And if need be, I could wrap screen wire around each vent. Also in the winter, they could easily be covered up. As for placing of the vents; am thinking two on the bottom of the shed (on opposite sides of the shed walls) and two on the top of the side walls (again on opposite sides to get air flow in). Maybe check into a roof vent to try to let hot air out through the roof top (where heat rises and collects).
I sure wish I had a couple windows. I would love to put a window on two sides of the chicken house, again on opposite sides for air flow. Have screens on the windows to keep out nasties, and in winter close up the windows, but still have sunlight be able to get in and have natural heat from the sunshine in the winter. Oh, well, if wishes were horses...............................................
I would like to have moved them outside to new home, but the chicken house (a nice 10x10 shed, with floor, real wood walls and roof and shingled roof) is not ready yet. Hubby still has it on the stacked 2x4's (stacked tall) and he has not gotten any vents for ventilation in it yet. I am hoping this weekend he will solve all those issues.
For vents I am thinking of using return air vents (like in houses for air return to your heating and cooling system). They have ones that are 2-3 feet long and about 8 inches tall (some even 12 inches tall). The venting ribs are small enough that I don't think snakes (maybe babies or smaller garter snakes) could get in. And if need be, I could wrap screen wire around each vent. Also in the winter, they could easily be covered up. As for placing of the vents; am thinking two on the bottom of the shed (on opposite sides of the shed walls) and two on the top of the side walls (again on opposite sides to get air flow in). Maybe check into a roof vent to try to let hot air out through the roof top (where heat rises and collects).
I sure wish I had a couple windows. I would love to put a window on two sides of the chicken house, again on opposite sides for air flow. Have screens on the windows to keep out nasties, and in winter close up the windows, but still have sunlight be able to get in and have natural heat from the sunshine in the winter. Oh, well, if wishes were horses...............................................
