I am getting ready for 15 chicks and 5 guineas. I have a garden tub that we don't use. I was thinking of lining it with something (?) and raising them in it. That way they will be safe and with me in the house. My husband will rig a heat lamp over the tub. When they start to get too big for the tub I will keep them in the coop. Does this sound O.K. or am I crazy???
Hello and Welcome to BYC! Here's a post from another member about their bathtub brooder: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=690860 You could put down pine shavings for litter, covered with several layers of paper towels, for their first few days. The paper towels help them learn what their feed is so that they don't eat the shavings. Hope this helps! Dawn
It has been my experience with guineas that they will start to jump and such and can damage their little brains on the lids...so be careful with them! and
Opps I posted a reply on the wrong thread... Anyway, thanks for the quick reply. question: so you don't think it is a bad idea to move them into the coop early when they out grow the tub???
Quote:It depends on where you live, the temp outside, how warm you can keep the coop and how feathered your chicks are.
You are going to be amazed at how young guineas will begin flying ! The tub will probably be fine for about 3-4 weeks, then one morning, you will wake up and they will all be in bed with you ! Unless of course you cover the tub somehow. And, I hope you don't have any cats in the house. If you do, you will have problems.
I'm sorry I should have said I live in NW Florida. I'm going to make sure I get them so that it will be nice and warm by the time they go outside. But I'm pretty sure with 20 in total, they will go into the coop early but not go outside until they are ready. The guineas will no doubt need to be handled differantly but I'm researching that before I get them. I'm thinking I'll keep them all in the tub for about 3 or 4 weeks if I'm lucky. When they get to big I'll move them all to the coop and keep them in there. I'm just not sure at what point the chickens would come out and at what point the guineas would.
I wouldn't worry too much since you live in Florida. Just make sure you have a heat lamp (or two if it's a big coop).
