Keeping baby chicks inside, and fire hazards

[Thepriceofbeauty]

Hey guys! I know this has been covered a whole bunch, but could not find the precise information I was looking for.

Finally convinced DH to let me keep some backyard chickens. I have determined 4 would be a good start. The time has come to pick some up at my local feed store, and we’ve got our coop all picked out.

I am wondering if turning this shower into a brooder seems appropriate (pictures included). It is currently housing the cat litter box, but that can certainly be relocated out. My plan would be to line the open door with some wire, so I can have easy access in without them escaping, and covering the floor with incontinence pads, so none of their poopy bits clog the drain, and for easy cleaning.

I was assuming I would use a heating plate brooder, since I am absolutely TERRIFIED.t e r r i f i e d of the fire danger. (Just bought my first house a few months back, and the sewer flooded the basement 2 weeks after we moved in. I am now a writhing ball of anxiety that everything is going to burn down/ flood the house. Ahhh home ownership)

Do the more seasoned chicken owners here think that would be a decent set up for 6 weeks? And then after that out into the coop? Is a heating plate ok to leave on around the incontinence pads 24 hours a day? Is brooding inside a bad idea? Anything else that could potentially add to my stress or psychosis? Thanks in advance!

 

[lazy gardener]

You will need 2 s.f./bird by the time they are 2 - 3 weeks old. I would get your coop FIRST, then get your chicks and brood them in the coop. For coop, you will need at least 4 s.f./bird, and for run, you should have at least 10 s.f./bird. I strongly suggest that you make your coop a walk in style. Avoid the pre fabs. They are falsely advertised, poorly built, and not designed to meet the needs of either the chicken or the flock owner.

 

[Laodicia]

The heating plate will be fine. Its only getting as hot as a hot summer day in the sun. Youd be warming the chicks not cooking them

The biggest disadvantage i see (aside from possibly not enough space) would be even with a partial wire wall by 6 weeks those chicks will be flying out of there. They can and will jump/fly higher than you think.

 

[rosemarythyme]

By 6 weeks that might a little be tight for 4 chicks, I think. I brooded 3 in a standard size bathtub covered with hardware cloth and the little suckers were bouncing off the wall after about 2 weeks. If you are going to use wire to cover the door, make sure you cover as high as possible, or bend it over 90 degrees somewhere to form a lid so they cannot accidentally bounce out no matter what.

Other main warning about brooding indoors... chick dander. I hope you won't be needing to use that bathroom for a while, because chick dander spreads amazingly well. Think of a greasy casserole pan sitting around unwashed for awhile, then take that tacky film and spread it in a 6' radius from your shower onto the walls, nearby sink/toilet, windows, etc. It does clean up with some elbow grease, but you'll be scrubbing it off everything.

 

[Thepriceofbeauty]

Hey guys thanks for the responses! I was planning on keeping the doors shut, unless I needed to get in there to take care of them. We actually picked up two little girls today! Currently they are in a large dog crate/ Tupperware near the kitchen until we can build them a safe draft free spot in the garage. We went with the heating pad, and built them a little cave which they seem to love! Hoping the garage will be ok for them in the next week or so. Temperatures here do get down around 30° at night (North Denver) i keep reading conflicting accounts on whether or not that would be too cold in the garage. Any personal accounts would be appreciated, thanks guys!

 

[Thepriceofbeauty]

You will need 2 s.f./bird by the time they are 2 - 3 weeks old. I would get your coop FIRST, then get your chicks and brood them in the coop. For coop, you will need at least 4 s.f./bird, and for run, you should have at least 10 s.f./bird. I strongly suggest that you make your coop a walk in style. Avoid the pre fabs. They are falsely advertised, poorly built, and not designed to meet the needs of either the chicken or the flock owner.

Thanks for the advice! I'm hoping we can move them into the garage for a little extra shelter until they are fully feathered. Living in North Denver, CO there is still a good chance we will get a fair bit of snow before may.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! It will be hard to test your heating pad out there now that you have chicks! 30F will likely be too cold for that heating pad brooder to be effective, and chilling your chicks will be very bad for them.
Getting the cart before the horse! In a very few weeks you will need an actual coop, and those cutsie prefab things aren't it. Look at the garden sheds at the big box stores and modify one of them, including a dig-proof foundation.
There may be something useful on craigslist, or a local builder who can do something for you.
Chickens are fun, but being prepared is better, for them, and for you.
Mary

 

[blackdog043]

I have mine in the coop with the Mama heat pad. My temps are upper 20's - low 30's at night and upper 50's during the day, they're doing fine. I have them in a dog X-pen, to keep them separate from the bigger chickens for now.

 

[Folly's place]

Good to know. Are all heating pads equally effective? How many chicks?
Mary

 

[Thepriceofbeauty]

Thanks! Yes I agree we rather "jumped the gun" today, however it was the last two of the specific breed we were looking for and it just seemed right. We already had the "baby" brooder set up and ready to go, and figured we'd build them the "interim" brooder over the next few days. I also bought two heat lamps previously so we have back up heat source. So I guess the best bet would be to build it and put the thermometer in there and make sure the temps stay steady with the heating pad?

Welcome! It will be hard to test your heating pad out there now that you have chicks! 30F will likely be too cold for that heating pad brooder to be effective, and chilling your chicks will be very bad for them.
Getting the cart before the horse! In a very few weeks you will need an actual coop, and those cutsie prefab things aren't it. Look at the garden sheds at the big box stores and modify one of them, including a dig-proof foundation.
There may be something useful on craigslist, or a local builder who can do something for you.
Chickens are fun, but being prepared is better, for them, and for you.
Mary