How high to keep silkie chicks contained?

[Scifisarah]

Sounds like a silly question, but I am wondering if I even need to add any extra fencing around the edge of a kid's pool if I use it for a brooder? I know they don't get normal wing feathers so shouldn't be able to jump as much, but I don't want any escaping and getting lost in our basement.

 

[sumi]

I think this is one of those "rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it?" situations! How old are your chicks and how high is the side of the pool?

 

[Scifisarah]

They are only a day or two old right now, but I want it to last a while. I actually just had a great idea regarding our sandbox that I have been meaning to sell. My kids are driving me crazy with taking the sand and throwing it against the house, on each other's heads, in our grass etc so I was just going to get rid of it. I think I will cut out the sun portion on top and attach hardware cloth there. I will be able to lift the lid off to take care of them and they won't be able to escape or get eaten by our cat. Very excited!!!

 

[Scifisarah]

Actually I think I will just cut out the circle for the heat lamp to shine through, and then cut out some of the little squares around the base of the big circle to actually see the chicks through. I'll cover any holes with hardware cloth attached with cable ties so our kitty can't get at the chickies.

 

[RonC]

You want them to have plenty of ventilation but not cool drafts. I would think a fence anout 2 feet tall around the sandbox would be a better idea. It can be cardboard or hardware cloth if there are no cool breezes for them to deal with. Make a lid for it to keep kitty away. Trying to micro manage the temp in that closed sandbox would be a nightmare.You don't want to heat the whole brooder area. Just a portion of the area should be warm so them can warm up and cool off as needed.They need a way to escape the heat if it gets excessive to them. Like someone said recently, you don't want cooked nuggets.

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

Cut the round part off (as high up as you can) and cover with chicken wire. Then chicks cannot get out, you can put a light right on the wire, and cat cannot get in. Plus you will see them, it wont have drafts but will be well ventilated.

 

[Scifisarah]

Here is what I ended up with. I still need to put hardware cloth over the openings, but I think it turned out pretty nice! I like that I can just take the lid off for "playtime". When the brooder box is harder to get into, it is difficult to socialize a lot of chicks at the same time.