We are ordering next week, question

[scrambledmess]

We are ordering 15 chicks next week. I thought of getting a wire rabbit pen to house them until they are big enough to put in the coop. I am thinking one may not be big enough once the chicks start growing. Do you think I can start with one and then move to two when they get bigger? Or even when so small, one rabbit pen isn't big enough? Has anyone just used a large card board box?

 

[scbatz33]

Mine are in a cardboard box right now. I will be adding some chicks today and we will be housing them in large plastic containers like you can buy at Wal Mart. Once they get too big, it should be warm enough to put them outside.

There are good ideas out there. Google brooders or brooding and you should get all kinds of sites.

 

[miss_jayne]

Quote:
ask your local grocery store for a watermelon or pumpkin box. they are huge. when they grow out of a small box, then you have a ginormous brooder.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

Day-old chicks will need a brooder with warmth supplied from a heat lamp in the beginning. I use either a big packing box or a big plastic storage container. I cover the bottom with shavings and cover the shavings with paper towel for the first few days until they learn the difference between food and shavings. Once they are fully feathered, I move mine to the coop, but still provide heat this time of year. Give them space to prevent picking. If they are too crowded they can get very aggressive towards the weakest chick. Using a red light in the heat lamp does help with this.

Chicks are pretty fragile until they are fully feathered, even more so this time of year.

HTH

Rusty

 

[scrambledmess]

Thanks for replying so quickly! Great ideas!