Chicks in garage

[emchick53]

Hi, I have 1 week old chicks (6) in a box in my basement. They need more room, so I was going to move them into the garage until they are ready to go into the coop (and it warms up a bit). I was trying to decide how I should go about the garage, and what I would use. Then I was thinking, what if I put together the coop in the garage??? And then in a month or so, move it outside. Then they would already know the coop was their home?
Does this sound like a good idea? Advice?

Thanks!

 

[Blackberry18]

If you use the garage for cars, I wouldn't recommend it for chicks. The exhaust fumes are dangerous. Putting them in the coop is a good idea, and may reduce stress, but I wouldn't say it's going to help that much. I just move mine from box to box. For the first four weeks, the chicks need a maximum of 1/2 square foot per bird, then after that, it's 2 - 3 feet.

 

[ChickityChina]

I think your idea would work fine. I am also going to move mine into the garage when they grow a bit until it warms up outside - plus our coop isn't finished yet. But like Blackberry18 said, I will not be using the garage for cars at the same time because of the exhaust. I am going to be using two infant/toddler play-yards (like the pic below) and connect them together for more room, as needed.

 

[emchick53]

We don't put our cars in the garage (have a 2 car, extra large garage and the slope of the driveway makes the bottom of our cars scrape really badly!!! Not that I am bitter about that

). So that isn't an issue.

I have one of those gates, and now looking at it, the slots aren't as big as I thought, so maybe I'll do that.

 

[donrae]

Can you safely run a heat lamp or heating pad cave in your coop? If so, go ahead and move the chicks to the coop now. They'll still have the same warm spot they'd have in the garage and you won't have to keep relocating them.

 

[Jensownzoo]

Yeah, if you put them in the coop, they will already know it as "the sleeping place" and you might not have to shoo them in at dusk when you first let them out into their run.

 

[Blackberry18]

I think your idea would work fine. I am also going to move mine into the garage when they grow a bit until it warms up outside - plus our coop isn't finished yet. But like Blackberry18 said, I will not be using the garage for cars at the same time because of the exhaust. I am going to be using two infant/toddler play-yards (like the pic below) and connect them together for more room, as needed.

Those fences are really good. I'm using one right now for my chicks.