How high does the brooder need to be?

[hemolymph]

I am using a plastic tote box for my brooder. I am wondering at how old could they fly out of it? Do I need to put some sort of lid over it?

 

[MustLoveHens]

Once they get their wing feathers and start to loose down to feathers, depending on breed, they ususally can can fly some. I would say about 2 weeks. I use the plastic netting for tomatoes and I just clamp it over the top. They can't get out, but it's easy for me to check on them and easy for me to remove for cleaning the brooder and to feed and water the little rowdies.

 

[FMAFarms]

At two weeks, our chicks can usually fly out of a two-foot-tall brooder. We built screened frames with hardware mesh that we lift and lower as we need.

 

[lady feathers]

I have also used a window screen and a baby gate laying boh of them over my tub so I could see in but they couldn't get out (or my cat in- although he seems to know they are off limits)! Just be careful of the heat source getting too close... with the baby gate I just left the small area from the lamp uncovered they have to be pretty crafty to get past the light and through the small space left- not that they couldn't but the loud cheeping that says "I'm all alone out here", or "I'm cold" would get your attention!

 

[catchthewind]

We had some of our one week olds fly out of the brooder already and it's two feet high! But there is no mistaking that something is wrong. We can hear the loud cheeping from the escapee from pretty much anywhere in the house, so we can go rescue them right away. I am putting a lid on mine tonight though in case it happens while we're sleeping.