Our first time with chicks have question!

[kritterkeep]

Well they arrived last night and sleep in the fish tank last night- but I am a big one for animals, to have enough room to move around.. so this morning I put them in a 33 quart clear tote...

with a red heat lamp- above a hole I cut out of the lid... going to have hubby rig something up when he gets home so it does not have to hang on the cabinet door it makes it hard to get the whole thing the same temp.. it only goes one way.. have been ajusting the lamp a little bit at a time trying to keep it at 95 degrees (have a degital them. in there) but it is staying between 93-97 give or take..

we also read the post this morning about board chicks so the girls found some pine cones and a stick to put in there with them

they are on the kitchen counter right now I think the 2 puppies (1 yr old lab mix and 6 mo old corgi) would be way to interested in them...

Donna B

 

[Oceanseve]

yep, looks good, but beware of melting plastic. Even if you rig a metal top, if you look in the brooder thread there are stories, and pics I believe, of what can happen

 

[kritterkeep]

right now the way it is, it is at 96 degrees... but i did think of asking hubby to make a top out of wood and wire..

thank you

Donna B

 

[kritterkeep]

Quote:
where would I find that section- i am missing it somewhere

Thank you
Donna B

 

[Oceanseve]

top of the raising chics forum. Its a sticky thread "pics of your brooder" I wish I could be more specific since its 60 or 70 page, but I don't remember exactly where it was discussed

 

[turney31]

I have a brooder similar to yours . I cut a large hole, probably 18 in. long and just smaller than the width of the lid, I cut a piece of hardware cloth wire several inches larger than hole, I then did the redneck thing and duct taped the wire to the lid. I am able to set the light on top of the wire. safe so far . I have a beagle

3 chias. a cat and so far it has kept them out. I have had various groups of chicks rotating in and out for last 2 months or more. Hope this helps. Micah

 

[damselfish]

Hi & welcome Kritterkeep.

I noticed in your last post that you were concerned about trying to keep the whole thing at 95 degrees...this isn't necessary, there should be cooler spots too, so the chicks can self-regulate where they want to be.

They look very cute, have fun!

 

[the_great_snag]

As the previous poster said, you do not want the whole space to be the same temp. They need a range of temps so they can hang out where they are comfortable.

If they are bunching right under the light, or getting as far away from it as they can, then the temp needs to be adjusted.

Be careful with your labrador. In my experience, they find the sight of a running chicken irresistible and can easily become chicken killers.

 

[kritterkeep]

I do understand what you are saying about the dog and the babies we had a Dalmatian/Spaniel mix (passed away this yr) who when she was about a yr old... oh my word I thought my father in law was going to kill her then, she was killing his chickens left and right... so one day my husband caught in in the act and used binder twine and tied the chicken to her around the neck and she drug that chicken around all day- and never ever killed another chicken after that....

So yes we understand free hand about be very carefull- but it is funny you said that because we took these pictures of our Lab/Australian shephard mix 15 1/2 mo old with the chicks yesterday morning and then last night we look out the window to see her laying in the driveway and the free range bunny we have cleaning her and she just laid there... she is a amazing dog- she learning be take treats nice from my 8 mo old nieces hand up to that point she had been a little ruff but when Reese feed her she new exactly what to do it was so cool...

Maycee with Chicks

Maycee with the free range bunny

Donna B

 

[kritterkeep]

Mayce and the chicks latest adventure- Mayce thr diving board..

Donna B