post pics of grow out pens

[pappy1264]

I can lay it on its side, but they will just be on wire that way, is that ok? I just want them to be ok and happy! Thank you.

 

[3forfree]

after mine feathered out I didn't keep a heat lamp on them. They stayed in the brooder in my garage until I took them to my barn. Between christmas and new years I build a coop outside, and at about 12 weeks they went in it. No heat or insulation, and they seemed to enjoy it. As I opened the pop door each day they would just about run each other over getting outside into the snow.

pappy, those chicks eat and s**t all day long, and if you could raise the cage up enough to lay some cardboard under it and put newspaper on it, it would help in the clean up. believe me I know.

 

[pappy1264]

They are only just over a week old, and a few are younger then that, so cannot go into that (which is on my screen porch) until they are feathered, which isn't until about 7 weeks or so, correct? They will need to be in something big before that. Just didn't realize they grow this fast! lol

 

[danib]

Any advice on how big to make mine? I will be getting 5 chicks and 1 4 week old pullet. But I plan on giving 3of the chicks away. Ending up with 3 pullets. They'll have to live in it for a couple of months while my yard is leveled and the coop gets built. I'm going to keep the grow pen on my sun porch. I don't have all the space in the orld in there, but I need it to be comfortable for them. What size would be good for 3 pullets?
Thanks

 

[Fred's Hens]

For us, the issue is that as we hatch chicks, they come every 3-4 weeks. We've got three 8x12 pens in the barn, but there's always a need, it seems, to hold some batches before integrating. We have a big old travel box which can house some 4-5 week olds as we condition them to lower temps. That box is outside in shop or garage.

Then, we put juveniles, if we need to, and we often do need to, in a grow out pen. When you're juggling 6 groups, it gets to be round robin, but it's fun.

 

[mpguay]

I've had to brood several batches lately. I didnt want to build 5-6 brooders, so I am using large cardboard boxes.

I started with one 22x22 cardboard box. top flaps taped up. Pine shavings on bottom. Hung a heat lamp over it.
There were 26 chicks in there for about a week. Then I added a box, by cutting 2 facing doors. Left the heat lamp in one, and put the water and feed in the other. They were in the house for about 3 weeks.
then I moved both boxes, the heating lamp and all chicks to a backyard coop. Nights got to 40 but chicks were fine. They can enter an leave the boxes at will. this way they can acclimate to the weather on their own terms.

As long as you have solid walls and a heat lamp, I dont see why they cant go out on a closed porch (protected from predators or course).

What I like about this is that they are cheap or free, compostable after use, and you always have a new sterile environment for the next brood. If it gets to 95 inside the box, it will be fine.

 

[Chickens R Us]

This is my first stage grow out pen in the basement 5'x3'. My second stage grow out pen is a 5'x10' hoop chicken tractor that I keep in the back garage. When they go in the big chicken pen I will house my extra roosters in the tractor until it's time to butcher.

 

[3forfree]

here's mine, 2x4x2ft high. I like having it on legs as the poo goes right through the hardware cloth that's on the bottom into a pan with newspaper, then it gets tossed. last winter I covered it with insulation and had the chicks in the unheated garage when they feathered out, no heat.

 

[Younger]

I was told they should stay indoors until about 8 weeks, so trying to figure out what to put them in in the interim. I thought I could use the cage I posted, but now hearing it isn't big enough?

We have 8 chicks in our garage with a heat lamp on. This way they are draft proof and predator proof while being close enough to check on them several times a day. We divided up a 4x8 sheet of plywood with dividers and as they grow (they are 2 weeks now) we lift a divider to give them more room. I am a novice but this seems to work great for us.

 

[pappy1264]

Great ideas, but I don't have a garage, so they are in my living room. They are in a 4ftx almost 3ft graco pack and play, which we put a solid bottom and made a top. So far, so good, but man they are getting big...here they are as of last night!