OMG! Why?

[Bengalcats1]

I always use a red light and my babies hardly ever peep, just the normal quiet little peeps but most of the time they are very quiet, def try the red light and check the temp, maybe at night they get chilly?

 

[ekemily]

Hardware cloth is more expensive than normal chicken wire.
You can find a red light at wal-mart in their lighting department, if you have a wal-mart around. If you get the big boy 250 watt, it's more expensive.
The main thing I would be concerned about when putting babies in a coop is snakes. But, then again, you may not have snakes out and about in your area yet.
I just found a big rat snake with an egg in his "belly" sitting in my nesting box.

So, hardware cloth would be your best snake option, out of the wire options.
Hope this helps! and gives you something else to worry about....

 

[WVChickenFarmer]

To be honest I did not think about using a red light. We don't have very many stores in our small town. We do have a wal mart near us but it is like 40-45 mins from here just depends on traffic.

Yes, I do worry about the snakes and stuff but luckly we have not seen any around our house yet. But I know that does not mean they are not around.

I will just think about what I want to do. I might just put them in the other bathroom tonight until I can get something set up for them.

 

[crossgirl]

Try the other bathroom, the kids may surprise you by not being bothered. Once mine are asleep, it takes a lot to wake them. The brooder is in my son's room. As a disclaimer, I've never had more than four chicks at a time so the sound wasn't *that* bad and it's only this last batch of three that have been unusually chatty.

 

[WVChickenFarmer]

lol...we got 10 chicks this time so it might be why they are so much noiser. We had 6 the first time which are the 5 week old pullets but sadly lost one and now have 5-5 week old pullets and the 10- 5 day or 1 week old chicks. I really have not idea when the new chicks were born.

 

[johngracias]

this is first time i heard someone put their chicks in the bathroom. why you didn't build a place for them outside the house??

 

[maclady]

You can use the dog crate as a brooder. it is what I used for my chicks. I wrapped tall cardboard around the outside of it to prevent drafts and put the light on top of it, not inside it. Worked great until I took them outside. The best idea I can honestly give you is to clear enough room in your storage area for the dog crate, even if you have to stack stuff up to get enough room. I kept my chicks in the unheated garage from Feb 19th when I got them until they went out to their coop at 8 weeks. I also used a red bulb because everything I read said it was better then a white one. I started leaving the bulb off at night totally about three days before I moved them outside so they could adapt to daylight/darkness in a familiar area. I hope you are able to get them situated so they don't keep you all awake at night. Good Luck.

 

[WVChickenFarmer]

Umm..the reason I did not build them a place outside is because we kept our other chicks inside until our coop was done. I really do not see a problem with keeping them in the bathroom other then the noise and the mess they make.

I'm not trying to be rude. Really I'm not. I just don't understand why I'm being questioned about keeping them inside my home while other people have said they are keeping their chicks in their home.

It is not like we are letting them run all over the bathroom pooping all over the place. lol I just felt at the time they was not ready be put outside in a building or coop.

We don't have some luxuries some people have like a basement or garage. I guess those are not really luxuries but nice to have.

We put our almost 6 week old pullets out in their coop just last weekend because they was ready. I have said I might make a place out there for the chicks. I just need to make a decision.

And to be honest the bathroom was the only place I had room to put our chicks.

 

[klf73]

I always use a red bulb and they are quiet ALL night....learned that lesson with my first chicks, they were up all night with the regular bulb(which is all I had). If you have a regular lightbulb on them it is daytime all the time, like a baby they don't know when to sleep and need to be taught. I use the red bulb and just turn on the room light during the day and off at night.
Oh, I also just moved mine out of the walk in closet off my bedroom, sun comes up on that side of the house and there is a window in there, up too early for my liking

 

[WVChickenFarmer]

Quote:
Thanks so much for your suggestion of using a dog crate as a brooder. I will see if I get some cardboard for it to put on the outside. Really my husbands building is not a option all. There is just way to much stuff in there. I don't think he would let me put them anyways.

I really do appreciate everyone's help. And will consider all of the ideas.