Chicks in the tub

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Melinda66

Melinda66

In the Brooder
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I have 35 chicks and 4 Indian runners (ducks). My brooter house is being repaired so I am keeping them in a bath tub in a bathroom we don't use. 9 of the chicks are 2 weeks and the rest are about a week old. How long before they are able to get out of the tub? Also, need to build a fence around the brooter house. Will it need fencing over the top? I say yes, the guy helping me says no. How big an area should I fence off? I have a farm so plenty of room. They can't roam free due to dogs here.
 
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Good luck with your poultry raising adventures, and I hope you find everything you need to know. Don't forget to take a look at BYC's very useful learning center (If you haven't already)! The learning center as well as the forum should answer your questions! There is always something new to learn! Glad to have you here! See you around with the flock. Some chickens can fly better than others. They may be able to escape at around 3 weeks old. Try posting some of your other questions in the raising BYC forum. I wish you the best of your findings!
 
Thanks!! Just kind of lurking around right now and learning a bunch of useful information
 
I usually put my birds out at 3.5 to 4 weeks of age. I have a top on mine just deer netting to keep the Hawks at Bay.
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! You've gotten some good advice and links above. As to when they will be able to get out of the bathtub, I would say any day now for the older ones, they will start trying to fly at 2-3 weeks usually.
If you can put fencing over the top it is a good idea to for both brooders and runs, (I can't tell if you mean an inside brooder or outside run) over the brooder to keep the chicks in, and if it is an outside run, also to keep the chicks/chickens in but also to keep hawks etc out ... if you are talking about a run and have predator problems you might want to check out the coop/run design forum for help with predator proofing your run https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/9/coop-run-design-construction-maintenance As for space, pretty much the bigger the better, the more space you have generally the happier the chickens are. Really nice article on figuring out how much space you want for your birds https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-much-room-do-chickens-need
 
Alright
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D.gif


Mr. Bob-Cat just loves insecure chickens as do other predators ....





The best way to test your coop is to test it and if you fail this guy
or others can wipe out all you have instantly ...



Yes secure your coop and it is not funny getting up in the morning
and everything is gone ....
 
Melinda66 said:
I have 35 chicks and 4 Indian runners (ducks). My brooter house is being repaired so I am keeping them in a bath tub in a bathroom we don't use. 9 of the chicks are 2 weeks and the rest are about a week old. How long before they are able to get out of the tub? Also, need to build a fence around the brooter house. Will it need fencing over the top? I say yes, the guy helping me says no. How big an area should I fence off? I have a farm so plenty of room. They can't roam free due to dogs here.
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Hi and welcome.
With the number of birds involved it isn't so much a matter of them being able to get out of the tub, but about them needing to be moved out of the tub and into a more space appropriate container. Even with large "garden style" bathtubs, the space is not sufficient for birds of that number even at the ages they are now let alone as they continue to grow. A cheap/easy solution is to cobble together cardboard boxes (free) to create a space large enough to accommodate everyone safely and comfortably (overcrowding can lead to health issues, picking, aggression, etc - also makes it difficult to maintain good sanitation).
As to fencing - all a matter of personal choice. A fully enclosed (including top) pen is most secure as it prevents attack from above. It's all about how much risk you are willing to accept - as each layer of protection you skip is adding a layer of risk of losses.
 
Oh - and as to how much space - as much as you can afford to enclose - if you intend to keep all of these birds long-term you will need to provide sizable space for them to live in and it's best to build even bigger than you think you need.
 
Welcome to BYC
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Glad you joined us!
 

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