Flying baby chicks

[foreverdavis]

Hi all,
I'm a newbie. We got our first 6 chicks at TS last Saturday. We have them in a large Rubbermaid tub. A couple are flying to the height of the top of the tub already. Do I need to cover? Deeper container? Clip feathers? I don't know what breed they are--they are yellow chicks.

We are expecting 25 more later this month and I'm indecisive about their brooder situation. We have coming: 5 Buff Orpington, 5 Dk Brahmas, and 5 Speckled Sussex, plus 10 Columbian Cross. I know I want the 10 Columbian Cross separated, but am thinking the Rubbermaid already seems small for 6 little chicks, much less these fast-growers. Then, I'm also thinking of splitting up my chicks in different tubs so they won't be crowded, but...I'd like them to grow up together but I don't know how to get something big enough to handle all of them. My husband is busy building the big coop for later, so I just need a easy solution that I can do. I was considering blocking off a section of the room I have them in and using the floor--linoleum covered in wood chips. But then I still need to separate the Meaties.

Angie

 

[harri]

I got mine from tsc 4 weeks ago. the get big quick. I am also a newb to chicks.
I have a cover on my brooder. I keep it closed, but when i open it the leghorns all fly out . the reds stay put for now.
Its funny to see the chicks on the floor when i come up the stairs with fresh water!

 

[4acresNachick]

Hi. I'm new to raising chicks as well and was having trouble keeping my 9 RIRs in the brooder. They flew out of the Rubbermaid I had them in within a week so my husband and I built a 4x5 ft box the sits on the garage floor. 8 in boards around the base. 2 foot post in each corner and chicken wire from the top of the board up about 18 inches all the way around, two feet tall all together. The amount of space combined with various roost places and two different feeders in opposite corners seems to have appeased their curiosity (for now) and they haven't tried to escape. I will say I had the same measurements divided in half, one side for my meaties and one side for the RIRs before the meaties went out to the big coop and the RIRS were escaping all the time. I had to insert a sloping roof on the longest side to keep the RIRs from joining the meaties! I guess we are all learning as we go.

 

[crazygoatlady915]

*Sigh*. Mine do this too.

And as they get older they venture to amazing places like 'the feeder' and 'top of the waterer' (even though i put a funnel there, they perch on the top of the funnel

).

My solution is to use a chicken wire frame on the top of the brooder.

Good Luck!

Edit: Ooo!

to all you newbs!

 

[debid]

Yes, a wire lid is a very good idea. Chicks can fly. I have a few in the 3-4 week range that like to fly up from the bottom of the brooder to the edge when I open the lid. That's 24" up and landing on a 2x2.

 

[SIMPleChick]

I notice that they don't fly out as much if they can see out. When they were in the box they lked to jump up onto the rim but when using a wire cage, even with an open top they were less likely to flyout until they were older.... Good Luck!

 

[koakritters]

my 4 week olds are out of their pen before i can even get the top half way open! ... and across the room perched on the tv or on my desk before i can grab the first one...

 

[chick4chix]

I used bird netting draped across the top of the brooder when they were under 3weeks of age. I also provided a couple of roosting places - wooden dowels poked through the brooder sides at different heights so they can fly/hop up and practice landing on a roost- they loved it. At 3 weeks I moved them into a large shower with a sliding glass door I wasn't using so no need for the netting- it was 6 feet tall and at 4.5 weeks they went outside- too much dust! It's good for them to be able to stretch their wings, but not to get out and hurt themselves by flying into or onto something dangerous.
Enjoy your chickies

 

[nelsonsflock]

Hello,

We use a see through container for chicks and that seems to limit the amout of jumping and flying out. When we brought them home in a card board box they started flying out right away. We also cover them with a widow screen.