Stinky Babies?

[crcarter]

I am hoping to start out with my first chicks - I am in Pennsylvania and it is just beginning to warm up. I was planning to get 3-4 pullets as I am just a novice starting out. I wanted to get them at 2-3 days old and experience the entire process...

My husband is concerned that they will stink up the house during the 5-8 weeks that they will be housed indoors. He is encouraging me to by older pullets - but that doesn't sound like as much fun to me! Can the babies be housed in our outdoor shed or in our attached garage? Would they be too cold?

Please help - today is the last day for chicks at the Tractor Supply where I was planning to purchase them!!

 

[Keltara]

A pullet is a hen that is under one year of age. So technically a day old baby hen is also a pullet. Tell your husband that they will not smell. Get a really large storage bin and put about 2 inches of all purpose sand on the bottom. Buy yourself a kitty litter scoop and attach 1/4 inch hardware cloth to the scoop part with zip ties. Throughout the day, reach in, give a quick scoop and all will be completely odor free. Please check out my coop. There is a ton of helpful information on it about using sand in your coop and run as well. It makes for 100% odor free chicken coop, run and happy owners with very little labor. Here's my brooder. Heat lamp on one end and food and water on the other. Make sure it's big enough for them to get out from under the heat if they need to.

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I didn't use sand for my first batch, but now it is all I use. I used to think that chickens would be stinky too. I've come to learn that chickens are subject to how their owners care for them. If they make them live in filthy poopy conditions, then they stink. If they keep them in clean sanitary conditions, there is absolutely NO ODOR ever! Now hurry and get those babies before it's too late and don't forget to check out my coop!!

Kelly

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Our Country Chronicles

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[zbit]

a few chicks should not smell too much the first couple weeks so maybe you can keep them in the house for that period. As they get older and the smell beats out the cleanings you can then move them to the shed or garage with their brooder and heat lamp provided they will be safe from predators. My neighbors start out with their chicks in their shed in a big brooder with the heat lamp and have never had any problems. I just love having them in the house the first couple weeks not only to watch them (they are cute) but to be sure they are eating, drinking, warm enough etc. Good luck with the chicks or the older pullets if you decide on those instead, this forum is full of great info on raising both ages.

 

[lcammack]

We have always raised our day old chicks out in our unheated shop. As long as there are no drafts and you have their heat lamp placed appropriately you should be just fine.

This was proven to us when one of our hens went broody during the end of November and successfully hatched 3 babies and raised them outside in high 20 to low 30 degree temps. Those babies feathered out extremely quickly and were very hardy.

So brooding in a shed or garage is absolutely an option.

Good luck with your new babies!

 

[crcarter]

Thanks so much!

 

[crcarter]

Thank you for your advise!!

 

[liz9910]

You've received some great advice. Good luck with your new chicks!

 

[crcarter]

Thanks so much! We did get 6 chicks on Sunday - set them up in the garage. As of today, there is NO unpleasant odor - I would welcome them in my kitchen! We're using pine shavings and that is all I smell! We're all so excited to have our new babies!

 

[Keltara]

Thanks so much! We did get 6 chicks on Sunday - set them up in the garage. As of today, there is NO unpleasant odor - I would welcome them in my kitchen! We're using pine shavings and that is all I smell! We're all so excited to have our new babies!

When they get bigger in the brooder, you'll find that they poop a lot more. The need for changing out the shavings will increase. Maybe at that time, you'll consider using sand in the brooder? It'll keep things odor free and very easy to clean. No need to clean out, just scoop out the poop like a kitty litter box each day.

What breeds did you get??