what do you keep your chicks in?

[MuckyPuppy]

We use a small child's framed paddling pool. It is square and just the right size for two wired sides from a rabbit run to fit across as a top. It is easy to clean out and, when we are not using it, can be taken apart and stored.

 

[Chirpy]

I agree.. use whatever you have around that isn't going to cost you money. Just make sure it's large enough for the entire time the chicks are growing up in it or be prepared with something else bigger as they get bigger.

I actually go to a local furniture store and they save huge boxes for me... they are free and can be recycled or thrown away when done so they aren't laying around for a year before the next chicks arrive.

 

[Nicole01]

I use an xl wire dog kennel. We put a border inside on the bottom with sheet rock to keep the chips and chicks in. It worked awesome. I hung the brooder lamp inside corner of the kennel. I put a blanket over the top to keep the heat in when needed.

 

[Real McChicks]

We started with a plastic tote- but they outgrew that before 2 weeks- now they are in our shower (glass enclosure) ....hoping to get them outside by labor day!

 

[AlienChick]

At first I kept them in a large dog crate, but when they outgrew that, I moved them outside to the shed and built them a 5-foot enclosure out of PVC piping.

 

[stellas mommy]

I have a large livestock waterer, it needs to be cleaned out but it will work.

It looks like this one.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=rubb...t=73&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:73&tx=128&ty=68

So would this be ok to put on the back porch with a lamp or does it have to be indoors? I can put a board over the top or something. I dont want to seem like I want them outside but the garage is currently occupied with my husbands friend who is living with us and the husband would complain alot if they were inside. I can put it out in the coop with the other chickens but I would like to have them more close to the house where I can watch them more.

 

[Chickybaby]

I've used everything from a large wire dog crate (modified, of course), a large rubbermaid tub, to cardboard boxes... pretty much anything I could find that wouldn't cost a fortune to modify... until DH built me the "chick palace" which is 3' x 3' x 8' wood and wire (I have a roll of corrugated cardbaord to keep out drafts at first). I've raised all kind of chicks in it - pets to meat birds... As long as the babies have the essentials, they don't care where you keep them! Good luck!

 

[NYRIR]

We built two of these. Dimensions are 8 x 3 x 2 (if I remember right

)

 

[turbodog]

Kids wading pool w/cardboard sides.

 

[wsmoak]

Cardboard box the first time, on the ground under a broody hen in a 4x8' tractor the second time.

Next time I'll either re-purpose the rabbit hutch that we made some mistakes with, or just put a partition in the tractor so they stay in the covered part. I'm _definitely_ not planning to have them in the house again!

-Wendy