Help! My Chicks are Escape Artists!!

[GD91]

Yup, I've had loads escape. Can't you just chuck the chihuahua into a different room? Then if they DO escape while your not present, its in an enclosed room with no predators.

I would do this instead of putting them on an unprotected porch where their only defense will be the cardboard from the box that they are in. Cats would be your main issue,they stick their paws in & try to snatch chicks.

 

[azygous]

Try getting a roll of cheese cloth for stretching over the top of your appliance box. That's what I use for my brooders. Just be careful the heat lamp doesn't come into contact with it.

Soon, the chicks will want to be using their wings, and then they will be able to escape any and all brooders, no matter how tall. If your days are sunny, warm, and calm, you can start taking the tykes outdoors for romps. At this age, they will embark on low level flight and have a heck of a grand time exploring the outdoors. Anything over 70 and calm will be fine for the fuzz balls. Just keep a close eye on them and keep the dog indoors.

 

[iwiw60]

Clear has nothing to do with wanting to escape. Chickens spend their entire life trying to be where you don't want them to be.........

Some of them just stsrt earlier than others.

 

[ShogunBob]

Stacy, who is just over a week old, flew up and out at me last night at bed check. I thought I had another week or two at least. Her peers cheeped in congratulations. I slapped some garden cloth over the tub and a little weight on some 1x1s and it seems to be just fine. Still not what I was expecting late night, week 1.

 

[JJSS89]

I'm almost beginning to think that I'll have to keep them in the house til 6-8 weeks or fully feathered out and then put them to the coop straightaway. I'll jury-rig electricity out to the coop and provide them with a light just in case it gets too cold for them at night....aaaaaaaaaaaack!!

No, unless your temps are dipping below 20 degrees every night they would be fine outside at that age. It depends on the breed. If we're talking layer breeds then they could be outside right now with a 250W bulb.

They don't need to be warm every waking moment. Think of how a mother hen raises her chicks - they run around in the 50-60 degree weather when they are 3 days old and come to her to warm up.

 

[LI chickie]

Now I'm worring I have my chicks a week now. I saw one sitting on top of the water bottle yesterday. I have them in a medium size dog crate with a heavy coated paper about 1-1/2' high around the inside. They are in my sunroom with my dogs luckily I have a camera set up so I can watch them while I'm at work. I guess if one flys out of the coo coo nest I'll see and rush home.
I will be setting up a bigger crate with PET (clear plastic sheets we print on) this weekend and I'll make sure it's escape proof!

 

[JJSS89]

They are in my sunroom with my dogs luckily I have a camera set up so I can watch them while I'm at work. I guess if one flys out of the coo coo nest I'll see and rush home.

That's one of the funniest things I've read on here

 

[ShogunBob]

I love my cam, makes life so much easier.

 

[JJSS89]

I hope nobody takes that the wrong way. It just cracks me up.

I wonder what my rough & tumble, poultry farming grandfather would do if I told him I used a nanny-cam on my chickens.

 

[LI chickie]

Ha ha! My husband thought I was nuts with all my dog forums, I can justify the camera one dog has seizures but now I told him I joined a chicken forum he just shakes his head,