Oops, dumb brooder question

[AmeliaBedelia]

We have three 1 week-old chicks. We started them out in a large plastic storage bin, and our plan was to transition them to a 36 inch (~1 meter) dog crate in our spare bathroom's shower.

Wellllll....the crate WOULD fit in the shower, but it won't fit through the shower door. It is a very narrow door for the size shower (about 18 inches). So we need a Plan B for the babies. Ideally, I would still like them to be in that shower since the dogs can't get in that room at night, it is easy to clean/disinfect after they move out, etc. But I definitely want something inside the shower to contain the majority of the poop, bedding, feathers, etc. that I can remove through the door to dispose of the bedding in the compost pile.

I was considering lining the floor and walls with a tarp? Is that idiotic? I could hang it using command hooks and tape down the edges/folds. Do a deep litter method for the most part, and fold the tarp up with the bedding trapped inside and carry it outside to hose off when a full cleaning is needed.

The other option I can think of would be to have the 36 inch crate in the living room, but worried about containing the mess and the dogs' interest when we aren't supervising them like at night.

We have a small house, so not too many other options...inhabited bedrooms, kitchen, living room...that's really it. We do also have a cellar, but it is accessed from outdoors and is not heated. And the coop, but it's not very insulated since it doesn't usually get too cold for adult chickens in 7b.

 

[Kiki]

Is your coop not ready for them?

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

They aren't ready for the coop is more the issue...sorry if you read my post before I edited it. It meant to say three one-week old chicks, not three week old. They are still pretty teeny, and lows have been in the low 30s lately.

We also have 2 grown chickens we'd need to introduce them to first who are already in the coop. But it isn't set up for electric anyway, so think we need to keep them in here until they are fully feathered.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I brood mine in the coop but if you don't have electricity out there that will not work. If you have electricity in your cellar you could brood them there. They don't care what the temperature is around them as long as they have a warm spot to go to so they can warm up when they need to. I put chicks straight from the incubator or post office into that brooder even when it is below freezing outside and there is ice in the far end. As long as they have a spot warm enough they are fine.

I understand why you might want to use that bathroom. It protects from predators (your dogs) and helps keep the mess contained. My thoughts are to make a brooder out of cardboard. Lay cardboard on the floor to protect it and keep their poop from staining it. Then use a cardboard box as your brooder. You can break it down enough to get it through that narrow door. You can get different sizes of cardboard boxes.

 

[Acre4Me]

Yes, the shower could work fine. In Murphy’s house, the tarp would flop over onto the chicks due to faulty adhesive or the hooks. So, with that possibility in mind, you might want to add stiff cardboard to the sides, or some other added safety to keep the tarp completely secure or at least minimize it from completely flopping into the chicks if Murphy decides to visit. Puppy pee pads can work to line the bottom, with shavings on top so you can pick up and toss easily. But, an old feed bag would also work for that too. I’ll buy the 100-park of pee pads at Walmart for pretty cheap, so they are easy to find in many stores.

 

[DouglasB]

Line the shower or tub and use it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I brooded in a bathtub before and just bought several rolls of the cheapest paper towels, and lined the tub with that. To clean up just pick up the ends, fold up bedding in middle, and away you go.

As noted cardboard would also work, or dog pee pads.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Aren't crates collapsible?

Can you just unfold the crate once it's in the shower?

 

[CLSranch]

In Murphy’s house

if Murphy decides to visit.

Oh I love that.
To the thread. yes the shower is fine. Take a previous suggestion or rolled plastic is pretty cheap and could be attached like the tarp. Duct tape could be a little extra security in case of Murphy's law.

 

[Kiki]

They aren't ready for the coop is more the issue...sorry if you read my post before I edited it. It meant to say three one-week old chicks, not three week old. They are still pretty teeny, and lows have been in the low 30s lately.

We also have 2 grown chickens we'd need to introduce them to first who are already in the coop. But it isn't set up for electric anyway, so think we need to keep them in here until they are fully feathered.

Oh ok... I do believe I read it before you edit it.