I wanted to post about the indoor starter coop that I will be keeping chicks in this spring. I thought it might be helpful to all here. I have a small house with limited space. I also own two kitties who love to eat small fuzzy things. When I wanted to get chickens, I knew I had to keep the chicks somewhere that the cats couldn't get to them and they would be safe and warm. The only place I had to keep the chicks was somewhere that the cats could still get to so their home itself had to be secure.
I went to Walmart and bought a large plastic bin with a lid that snaps on. (The kind you put comforters in and such.) This would be the chicks' home but I had to modify the lid to allow airflow and a heat lamp but still cat proof. Here is the finished product:
Here's how I made it: I used a box knife to cut square holes in the top of the lid. I bought some wire mesh found at most feed and hardware stores and cut squares of mesh that were about an inch or so bigger than the holes all the way around. I used a standard drill and small drill bit and I drilled holes all around the outside of the square holes in the lid. I then layed the mesh squares on top of the holes, on the outside of the lid and took thin wire (like floral wire that you can find in walmart in the craft section next to the fake flowers), and "sewed" the mesh onto the lid. Here's some pics of it:
The above pic is the outside or top of the lid. You can see the wire is woven through the mesh and the holes in the lid.
The above pic is the inside of the lid. The mesh is on the outside and you can see the sewn wire coming through the lid.
The above pic is of the whole inside of the hole.
To finish the holes, I put duct tape over top of the ends of the wire mesh on the top of the lid. This prevents the raw edges from scratching kitty or person.
And the lid snaps on so the cats shouldn't be able to get it open and they can even sit on the hole and it holds.
I have yet to have chicks in this yet but I will come back with updates when I do. I hope this inspires someone!! Maybe Corn the silkie could use one these?
Thanks!!
I went to Walmart and bought a large plastic bin with a lid that snaps on. (The kind you put comforters in and such.) This would be the chicks' home but I had to modify the lid to allow airflow and a heat lamp but still cat proof. Here is the finished product:
Here's how I made it: I used a box knife to cut square holes in the top of the lid. I bought some wire mesh found at most feed and hardware stores and cut squares of mesh that were about an inch or so bigger than the holes all the way around. I used a standard drill and small drill bit and I drilled holes all around the outside of the square holes in the lid. I then layed the mesh squares on top of the holes, on the outside of the lid and took thin wire (like floral wire that you can find in walmart in the craft section next to the fake flowers), and "sewed" the mesh onto the lid. Here's some pics of it:
The above pic is the outside or top of the lid. You can see the wire is woven through the mesh and the holes in the lid.
The above pic is the inside of the lid. The mesh is on the outside and you can see the sewn wire coming through the lid.
The above pic is of the whole inside of the hole.
To finish the holes, I put duct tape over top of the ends of the wire mesh on the top of the lid. This prevents the raw edges from scratching kitty or person.
And the lid snaps on so the cats shouldn't be able to get it open and they can even sit on the hole and it holds.
I have yet to have chicks in this yet but I will come back with updates when I do. I hope this inspires someone!! Maybe Corn the silkie could use one these?
Thanks!!
)
