Hey guys,
I just thought I'd post some pics of the temporary pen I had to build for my chicks. I planned on having the coop fully built this fall, but due to some unforeseen circumstances I have to wait until closer to spring. We hatched them about 2 months ago and they have been staying in an extra room in an old ferret cage that just started to get a little too small. So now they are staying in my garage in this pen. I didn't want to spend much, if any, money on a temporary pen. There is a shipping company close to my house that had a sign for free pallets so I grabbed as many as my car could hold. I was going to break them down and try to build something from the wood but when I saw they had small half pallets I thought they'd be perfect. I broke one pallet apart and used that wood to tie the rest together so they'd hold each other up. I had a roll of corrugate cardboard leftover from another project so I taped that to the concrete to provide some insulation from the concrete. Then I put down a tarp to be sure they wouldn't soil the cardboard or stain the floor. The pallets are on their sides and I screwed boards to the tops to hold them together. The garage isn't heated so I put the heat lamp in the corner until they are a little bigger and have more feathers.
I used wood shavings as a bedding and screwed a board to the corner to hold their food and water dishes. There is also 4 screws in the board to keep the chicks from knocking the dishes over.
I split a board in half to use as a roost and put a cardboard box in the corner as a nesting box. They can fly pretty well so I had to use some old wire fencing as a top to keep them from getting out. The garage is insulated so there aren't any drafts and it stays pretty warm on it's own.
I am a former fire fighter so I have a fear of burning my garage down. I put in to clips to hold the cord taught in case the clamp were to let go, the bulb won't be laying in the shavings.
The nice thing is I didn't have to spend a dime on this project which was very nice. I'm interested in any input you guys have. They should only have to be in it for a few months till I can get the lumber and things I need for the coop.
Thanks and God bless,
Jake
P.S. I have 4 Ameracauna/White Leghorn roos that will eventually have to go, so if anyone knows someone who is looking for roos in the Twin Cities area let me know.
I just thought I'd post some pics of the temporary pen I had to build for my chicks. I planned on having the coop fully built this fall, but due to some unforeseen circumstances I have to wait until closer to spring. We hatched them about 2 months ago and they have been staying in an extra room in an old ferret cage that just started to get a little too small. So now they are staying in my garage in this pen. I didn't want to spend much, if any, money on a temporary pen. There is a shipping company close to my house that had a sign for free pallets so I grabbed as many as my car could hold. I was going to break them down and try to build something from the wood but when I saw they had small half pallets I thought they'd be perfect. I broke one pallet apart and used that wood to tie the rest together so they'd hold each other up. I had a roll of corrugate cardboard leftover from another project so I taped that to the concrete to provide some insulation from the concrete. Then I put down a tarp to be sure they wouldn't soil the cardboard or stain the floor. The pallets are on their sides and I screwed boards to the tops to hold them together. The garage isn't heated so I put the heat lamp in the corner until they are a little bigger and have more feathers.
I used wood shavings as a bedding and screwed a board to the corner to hold their food and water dishes. There is also 4 screws in the board to keep the chicks from knocking the dishes over.
I split a board in half to use as a roost and put a cardboard box in the corner as a nesting box. They can fly pretty well so I had to use some old wire fencing as a top to keep them from getting out. The garage is insulated so there aren't any drafts and it stays pretty warm on it's own.
I am a former fire fighter so I have a fear of burning my garage down. I put in to clips to hold the cord taught in case the clamp were to let go, the bulb won't be laying in the shavings.
The nice thing is I didn't have to spend a dime on this project which was very nice. I'm interested in any input you guys have. They should only have to be in it for a few months till I can get the lumber and things I need for the coop.
Thanks and God bless,
Jake
P.S. I have 4 Ameracauna/White Leghorn roos that will eventually have to go, so if anyone knows someone who is looking for roos in the Twin Cities area let me know.
