Could a bathtub work for a brooder?

[SillyChicken]

I found out my chicks are being sent out Feb 10 (12 sal faverolle pullets and 2 roosters)... I'm not quite ready! (was expecting in April but honeslty can't wait!

) Sooooo... I have a nice heated dog kennel in my garage. There's a raised, standard steel bathtub in there that's not hooked up yet

Would the tub be too cold for the chicks? I'll use a heat lamp and use papers on the floor of the tub, and can cover with plywood and hrdwr cloth. Maybe even a sheet of cardboard taped down to the bottom so nothing could get under it.

Would the dog's barking be too stressful for the chicks?

Any thoughts or suggestions? My other options are a big cardboard box or a rabbit cage that I could keep in the garage or house.

 

[weirdmuse]

lol! Shouldn't be a problem to use the tub. We use the tub in the guest room as a brooder for our earliest spring chicks. Be sure to close the drain pop up if it's installed and lining would be a good idea to aid in cleanup afterwards. I use hardware cloth over the top to keep the cat from getting too curious but have had no problems.

 

[artsyrobin]

yep- that what i used, i put a sheet down, then the litter, makes it a little easier to clean up- makes it easy to interact too-

 

[felidaet]

You mention cardboard or paper on the bottom. Paper is too slippery. You should cover this with a couple of inches of pine shavings. For the first week or so you should cover the pine shavings with paper towels to keep the chicks from eating the shavings. They will know better after a week or so.

 

[jnjross]

try a storage tote (sterlite, rubbermaid) the high sides cut down the draft, and they're cheap and medium size will be good for 14, i use a large tote for 25-30 and they stayed in for 3 weeks inside with no problem, i just sat the box in the bathroom so it was quite
oh and pine shavings, go ahead and buy the large bag they are only about $5 in walmart

 

[SillyChicken]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions!

 

[dwegg]

I put a tub inside a bathtub...but I put a floor mat underneath it because the tub itself is cold.

 

[chubbydog811]

I raised 15 bantams in my tub last spring...Worked great! Until they learned they could hop out... Lucky I dont use it though!
And the chicks that will be here in a few weeks will be getting placed in the tub also as my chick brooders are inhabited by a mean rooster (who I am desperately waiting to grow up so I can admire him in my freezer) and guinea pigs right now lol

 

[Chicken Cluck]

Very clever idea.... A tub inside a tub.... I would never think of that