Inside the home or out?

[HELPPLS]

Is it safe to keep baby chicks inside the house (inside a brooder of course)? I have read that they can carry salmonella and other diseases. Would that fly through the air somehow or make any of us sick? We have a 2 y.o. We don't have anywhere to put them in the house other than the living room or the kitchen. We have a very small home. We can put them out in a shed in a brooder but I would like to be in close contact with them. I want them to get used to us and I wouldn't have as much time to spend with them if they aren't right here. With a kid this young in the house, would it be too noisy for them? Any advice is greatly appreciated. I'm new to this and everyone around here says "they are just birds". They don't put much thought into it and don't care as much as I tend to when it comes to animals.

 

[Blooie]

Is it safe to keep baby chicks inside the house (inside a brooder of course)? I have read that they can carry salmonella and other diseases. Would that fly through the air somehow or make any of us sick? We have a 2 y.o. We don't have anywhere to put them in the house other than the living room or the kitchen. We have a very small home. We can put them out in a shed in a brooder but I would like to be in close contact with them. I want them to get used to us and I wouldn't have as much time to spend with them if they aren't right here. With a kid this young in the house, would it be too noisy for them? Any advice is greatly appreciated. I'm new to this and everyone around here says "they are just birds". They don't put much thought into it and don't care as much as I tend to when it comes to animals.

I had the same concerns. My 2 1/2 year old granddaughter has Spina Bifida and was facing another surgery when I got the chicks. I'm also in a very small house - the brooder is in my husband's office - or the tiny room that passes as a office! LOL I was very worried about it. My older grandkids wanted her to be the one to see the chicks first, but the nurse at the Shriner's hospital was worried about it and said she'd ask the doctor. Doctor called us back and said, "Let that baby see those chicks!" So we did. There's very little that won't come off with soap and water, and as long as there's a lot of hand washing if your little one "visits" the chicks all should be well. Clean is clean - whether it's chickens or kids!

Hand washing, surface wiping, and keeping the brooder clean are key to the health of your baby and your chicks! And of course, you sound like no one has to remind you to wash up after handling the chicks and before handling your little one or preparing food. You've got that down!

A bigger concern than salmonella in the air is the amount of dust a brooder full of chicks produces. Common sense says that if someone in your household is immuno-compromised, has asthma or other breathing issues then I would say that the shed would be a better place for them, with frequent visits of course. But as for keeping them in the house, it's been done for generations and even with my granddaughter's health issues we've been doing very well here. The dust really didn't pick up until this week, but I placed an old window screen over the brooder and that has cut it down tremendously!

Good for you for asking!!!!

 

[cutipatooti]

i agree with blooie. hand washing is going to be essential. for the first week or so it is fine. then the dust starts. personally I would keep them in the house the first week or 2 until they are stronger then out to the shed they would go.

 

[HELPPLS]

Thank you! I have a critter cage that I used for my ferret. I plan to put that around the outside or inside of one of those plastic swimming pools. It has a cover but it is still open all the way around. I could use a plastic tub just as well. We bought big lights though and I don't know how it doesn't get too warm inside a plastic tub. Or what wattage light to use for a plastic tub??? I would put them in the spare bathroom but there isn't a window in there for them to get some natural sunlight.

 

[HELPPLS]

I may do that. Keep them in a plastic tub for a week or 2 then move them out. This is the first I have heard about dust. Do they need natural sunlight or to know night from day? The shed doesn't have windows either.

 

[melroseladi]

Last year I got very sick from the amount of dust my chicks put off. This year I am using adult size pee pads instead of pine chip bedding and what an amazing difference, much much less dust. I have my older chicks in an xlarge wire kennel and I use 2 pads on top of the tray. I have my younger chicks in a kiddy pool and am also using 2 pads in the bottom of that. The younger ones are under a premier heat plate instead of a heat lamp. I had the heat plate in the dog kennel but took it out to use when the younger chicks hatched. Older ones have been without direct heat since they were 3 weeks old. The room they are in stays at about 70-72 degrees and they are doing great.

Penny

 

[txladybugz]

I got some baby chicks for the first time this feb & we kept them in the house. I have to say this was the coldest winter I remember here in texas & next time I will get chicks when the weather is warmer so they can go outside more. They are now 5 weeks old & are very attached to me. As well, they try to get inside the house whenever they can get a chance

 

[HELPPLS]

Melroseladi.....Thank you for the info on the piddle pads. I have to use those for one of my dogs. She is on Lasix and I worked very long hours when she was a baby so I always used them for her. I would have thought their toe nails (I assume chicks have them) would stick to the pad. Is it safe to use piddle pads from the start with the chicks? That would be soooo much cleaner and better than using shavings I bet. Thanks so much.

txladybugz......We had a very cold winter here in South Mississippi as well. How did you get the chicks so attached to you? I want them to follow me around and be willing to be held or at least caught easily when they are grown. The only problem is I tend to get too attached to animals and we are getting them for meat and eggs. I don't know how well I will deal with the meat part if I am close to them. I can't seem to help it, though. If I have to take care of something I just fall in love with it. My husband will hit the roof if these chickens grow up and I beg him not to kill them. Thank you very much for the info. We just came up with this chicken idea in the last few weeks and we are trying to get everything to build the coop. Otherwise, we would already have bought chicks too. I'm glad we haven't yet due to the cold that just won't stay away. Congrats on your new brood.

 

[txladybugz]

Helppls....I am still new with baby chicks. Out if necessity with all the unusual winter weather they have stayed inside with me way longer than I had expected. My son likes to pick them up & now when I put them out on nice days they think I am their mother....so cute! The only thing is when we come in the back door they try & run inside the house between our feet. With spring approaching I am looking forward to them being outside

 

[txladybugz]

And helppls...best wishes with your chicks....this has all been a learning process for me. Whatever you & your family decide I am sure that you are going create wonderful family memories with these!