Moving the chicks into a dog crate

[Workingonark]

Hello,
Working on week two of my first chicken experience.
I have 10 standard pullets and 6 bantams.

They are about to outgrow their current living arrangement.
We have a large breed dog crate with the sliding tray that we would like to move them into tonight.

I plan on zip striping a 12-18' cardboard draft shield around the circumference.

Here are my concerns/questions:

1) They are starting to fly, should I put wire all the way around the crate as well as the cardboard? The holes in the crate are about 1.75x3.5. We really don't have any predators in our basement, unless a cat escapes into that room.

2) Can I hang the waterer? They make such a mess in it. How far from the ground? The smallest Bantam is about 2.5 inches tall.

3) This crate has not been used (dog) in about 5 months. Do I need to bleach it? Wipe it with lysol wipes? There is some rust in the pan, should I be concerned?

4) How do I clean it? Put newspaper under, slide tray out, pushing the birds off as I go? Is there a trick to this?

Thanks!!!

 

[Sweetest]

This is how we raised our chicks last year...tote bins for a brooder, and dog crates as they started to get too big for the brooder.

It depends on where you're having your dog crates set up...sounds like a basement? If the chickens can squeeze out through the holes (and they probably can), I would say just zip some chicken wire to it to cut down on that hole size. I'd be shocked if they can make it out of one of the top holes, but crazier things have happened.

We hung our waterer...we just used a length of chain that we got at a hardware store...cost a few pennies, if that. We've also used nylon string (the really strong, thick stuff), but found that the chicks really like to try to eat that. The chain wasn't as interesting to them. I don't hang my waterer any higher than upper chest height of the smallest birds.

I don't use bleach on anything, I don't like harsh chemicals. But I do use vinegar to clean/deodorize just about everything. Some people will say bleach everything because of diseases, but we've always used vinegar and never had an issue. Plus, that smell (the bleachy smell) is right down where their tiny bodies are going to have to breathe... If you can get it into a bathtub or shower with a sprayer nozzle, I'd say just soap it up and rinse it off...vinegar if you're really worried.

We had a plastic tray in the dog crate...sounds like yours is metal? We would just slowly pull the pan out (we only had pine shavings in it) so the birds would kind of hop off and just stand around til I put the tray back in. And the same thing going in. Just go slow...they'll figure out that they have to hop up, as long as they are capable of it. If they can't hop as high as the tray...not sure how deep yours is...I would say just open the door and pick them up and put them on the tray as you slide it in.

When we cleaned a wet, food-covered, poopy crate tray, we would just take the shavings outside and dump them in the compost...and then spray with vinegar, wipe with paper towels, and let air dry.

 

[JazzyChicks]

I read that because of the ammonia from the chicks droppings, DO NOT use bleach because it can cause very toxic fumes, making you sick and potentially killing the chicks. It was recommended to use distilled white vinegar, and i know mixing that with baking soda with water in a spray bottle is the ultimate organic cleaning product. I too plan on using my metal wire dog kennel and appreciate the input!

 

[Sweetest]

That makes perfect sense. We don't even keep bleach in the house so I've never really had to think about it. Vinegar is my go to product, and if there's something stuck on, I scrub w baking soda
Did you know if you have tree sap stuck on your hands, baking soda with water takes it right off...just use it like soap.