Newbie questions???

[Medda]

Hi all,
I’ve ordered my chicks (10 total) for a March 9th delivery. I’ve taken that Friday off as well as the following Monday. I will also be able to work from home on Tuesday. I am trying to get as prepared as I can be and have picked up some PND and Blu-Kote and the chicks are being shipped with GroGel+.

I have a very large dog crate (2.5x4 feet, 10 sq. Ft) I plan to keep them in for the first few days. Crate will have HDW 1/2 inch around with the Press’n’Seal over it to hold in bedding. I am also building a mama heating pad and have gotten the small water and feed holders. After the first few days, I want to move them out to the garage in a 4x8 brooder box I am building.

Now for the newbie questions:
1) Will the 10 sq. Ft. Crate be large enough for the first 4-6 days?
2). The crate will be in my master bathroom which has a large window for light. I have indoor dogs and cats so they need to be separated. I will be able to close the bathroom door and I also have a baby gate at my bedroom door to keep the dogs out during the day. I definitely want to try and minimize stress on the little ones as much as possible. Do you think this set up will work?
3). Will it be detrimental to the chicks if the bathroom gets a little humid when I shower or should I plan on keeping them in different bathroom (not in use)?
4). How long do you think the 32 sq. Ft. Brooder box will be sufficient space for the chicks?
5). While indoors would it be okay to let the chicks out on the bathroom floor to explore? The floor is tile but not slick - more like sandstone/terra-cotta.

That’s all I have for now but I’m positive I’ll have many more questions as the delivery date approaches. Any guidance will definitely be appreciated.

Thanks, Medda

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
You will regret having chicks in your bathroom, even for a few days. I would test out your setup in the garage, with a thermometer, and if it's warm enough under the heating pad, it should be good out there. The brooder plates from Premier work very well, what about one of those instead?
The dog crate will work for a short time, but your brooder box will probably be fine too. Show pictures!!!
Make sure your brooder is predator proof! Your pets will love chicken, and so will any critters in your garage. Mice and rats and anything that can enter the garage will be a risk for your tiny chicks.
Set up your brooder, make sure the temps are okay under the heat plate, and have the food and water out there the night before the chicks arrive.
If they are coming through the mail, talk in person to your post office before hand. Leave your phone numbers and make sure they know to call you at whatever hour the chicks arrive! Also ask if there's a nearby postal hub that would be a faster pickup.
So, what did you order? Is your coop ready? More pictures!
Mary
I

 

[Hufflefluff]

Hello! I'm also getting a few more chicks March 9th- the wait is killing me! Congratulations, though, on starting a flock- I hope everything goes well. As for your questions:


1. Yes, definitely. Heavy breed chicks need about 1/2 square foot each for the first two weeks, and your crate has double that, especially as they will only be in their for about a week- space shouldn't be a problem

2. Without seeing it or knowing the temperaments of your pets, It sounds pretty good. As long as the bathroom door shuts securely and the gate will hold the dogs, I don't see any issues-- just be careful when going in/ out as to not let them in after you. Will your brooder have a secure top? I'd recommend it (we generally use wire baking racks with bricks holding them in place) as both an extra measure of security should one of our other animals get in and also as a way to prevent wannabe escapees.)

3. Detrimental? Maybe. If it can't be avoided it shouldn't be too much of an issue, hopefully, but if you have the option to use a different bathroom for the chicks I wouldn't risk it. I've never actually tried brooding them in a bathroom, so I wouldn't know for sure, but I do know that moist, humid conditions play a huge role in chicks contacting diseases like cocci. I'd avoid it just in case, but at the very least consider how often you/ your family would shower in the bathroom (if it would be every day, then I'd caution strongly against it. You just have to use your own judgement and knowledge of your schedule), and keep in mind how you'd 'dry out' the room, per se. If the door will be closed, how long will the moisture take to dissipate? If the room would stay steamy for a long time after showering, then I'd try to use the other bathroom (if someone else has experience with this/ different ideas, I'd love to learn more.)

4. Without knowing what breeds you're getting, I can't say for certain, but that should be good up to 6-8 weeks, or right about when you'll be moving them outside. Keep in mind that if they're large, heavy breeds (brahma, cochin, wyandotte...) they'll need more space than the same number of lighter breeds (hybrids, leghorns, etc.). A lot of it depends of temperament of the birds- if they start picking at each other or fighting, or you're cleaning out the brooder as soon as you replace the shavings, then they need more space. If they seem calm, happy, and you can see them playing, perching, running, and dust bathing, then they have enough. As long as they have room to eat, drink, sleep, and do 'chicken things', you're good (adding treats and toys to the brooder when they're older will stave off behaviour problems as well.)

5. Yes, as long as you're okay cleaning up poop! We normally lay out some sort of cheap canvas cloth or tarp (and sometimes old beach towels) for them to run out on when we let them out of the brooder for easy cleanup. As long as you can keep an eye on them (and there aren't any chick-size nooks or crannies for them to get lost in,) then letting them out to play is a great idea- it helps them bond with you when they can see and run all over you, it's a fun and stimulatory new environment to distract from boredom and encourage fun chicken behaviors, and it's a great time to give them treats or hand feed them.

I hope this helps. Good luck with your chicks! Make sure to post lots of pictures when they finally arrive

 

[Blooie]

Hi, and welcome! This cold snap can't last forever - looks like it's going to break for your area soon! Brooding them in the garage would be a fine option for you. I use Mama Heating Pad outside in a wire pen within the run, and our springtime temperatures are MUCH lower than yours. Can you lose a chick? Of course you can. Chicks are also lost under heat lamps, brooding plates, and even under a good broody hen. And they are ingenious at finding ways to get into trouble no matter where they are...I swear some of them are hatched into this world looking for the fastest way back out!

With that in mind, I usually kept them in the house the first day or so to make sure that they know how to eat, how to drink, and where the warm spot is. I also want to make sure that any suffering from shipping stress can be helped over the hump. Don't know about the extra humidity in the bathroom...but I guess if your bathroom is big enough to let you do whatever you do in there plus have space for a big dog crate in it, you're a better judge of that than I am. Would I do it? Probably not. As a general rule, humidity and chicks plus a heating pad plugged in and left on for extended periods of time probably don't mix well. But you are there and I'm not, so you need to do whatever you think will work best for you.

Good luck with your chicks! Pop in over at the MHP thread and show off your new chicks when they arrive! There are so many good folks over there who are always willing to help! I've posted a link for you.

Welcome to this great adventure, and again, welcome to BYC!

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

 

[TexasSam]

1 yes it's plenty
2 I would have them in the garage right away as long as you can control the heat
3 revert to line 2 answer
4 more than a month
5 your garage setup will be plenty of room

 

[Medda]

Thanks all! I ordered 2 each of the following:
Black sex link
Gold sex link
Red sex link
Easter Egger
Buckeye

Coop and brooder are not built yet but I have most of the materials for both. I thought I would build a 4x8 brooder on 18 inch legs. The sides will be 2.5 ft tall. The lid will be 1/2 inch hardware cloth, hinged with a latch.

My garage seems to stay about 12-15 degrees warmer than outside temp. Even these past few days of 16 degree mornings, my garage was around 30-32 before I opened the door. I would like to get them in the garage as soon as possible but I do want to monitor them for shipping stress after their travels.

I think I may skip setting up the dog crate since I will likely only keep them inside the first day or two. @Blooie , do you think the MHP would work in one of those large storage totes? I may use that for the first 24 to 48 hours.

Thanks again everyone!
Medda

 

[junebuggena]

Storage totes are too small to use with the heating pad. Once you add the MHP and the food and water, you end up with no room for the chicks to run around.

 

[Ketty Ash]

Hi all,
I’ve ordered my chicks (10 total) for a March 9th delivery. I’ve taken that Friday off as well as the following Monday. I will also be able to work from home on Tuesday. I am trying to get as prepared as I can be and have picked up some PND and Blu-Kote and the chicks are being shipped with GroGel+.

I have a very large dog crate (2.5x4 feet, 10 sq. Ft) I plan to keep them in for the first few days. Crate will have HDW 1/2 inch around with the Press’n’Seal over it to hold in bedding. I am also building a mama heating pad and have gotten the small water and feed holders. After the first few days, I want to move them out to the garage in a 4x8 brooder box I am building.

Now for the newbie questions:
1) Will the 10 sq. Ft. Crate be large enough for the first 4-6 days?
2). The crate will be in my master bathroom which has a large window for light. I have indoor dogs and cats so they need to be separated. I will be able to close the bathroom door and I also have a baby gate at my bedroom door to keep the dogs out during the day. I definitely want to try and minimize stress on the little ones as much as possible. Do you think this set up will work?
3). Will it be detrimental to the chicks if the bathroom gets a little humid when I shower or should I plan on keeping them in different bathroom (not in use)?
4). How long do you think the 32 sq. Ft. Brooder box will be sufficient space for the chicks?
5). While indoors would it be okay to let the chicks out on the bathroom floor to explore? The floor is tile but not slick - more like sandstone/terra-cotta.

That’s all I have for now but I’m positive I’ll have many more questions as the delivery date approaches. Any guidance will definitely be appreciated.

Thanks, Medda

We have raised young chicks for a few years. We've always kept them in our unheated garage in a kiddie pool with farm fencing around it. We've also used a large rubbermaid container. We used a heat lamp on one side. It was suspended from a wooden structure my husband put together, similar in design to a saw horse. It kept the chicks warm. They tend to dampen the wood shavings with their waste and by knocking their water over. This stinks! I wouldn't want it in my bathroom, but that's me. The thing I would caution you about is that a dog crate will allow so much of the shavings to get out.

 

[aart]

My garage seems to stay about 12-15 degrees warmer than outside temp. Even these past few days of 16 degree mornings, my garage was around 30-32 before I opened the door. I would like to get them in the garage as soon as possible but I do want to monitor them for shipping stress after their travels.

Do you start any vehicles in the garage?
Might be good to park the cars outside while the chicks are in the garage.

 

[Medda]

Yes, I do keep my car in the garage. It shouldn’t be an issue to park outside for a few weeks.