Where best to start chicks in house, garage or basement

[toyou]

Thanks everyone, so i have a few more weeks for the Coop building, I guess I will start them up in the basement then, in a bright place near windows, it is unfinished but painted and isolated. The cat and dogs wont be able to get to them.

 

[blefky]

I'm just getting ready to move my chicks outdoors in another week or so. There are 14, they were purchased in 3 different shipments (a couple of weeks apart, just the way it worked out) All I can say is that when people told me chickens are dusty, I didn't get it. Chickens are dusty in a way that most other animals don't come close to (I've had hamsters to horses and much in between). My girls were in the living room in three different brooders until my family started to rebel. About a week or so ago I moved them to the garage in larger brooder set-ups because the coop isn't totally ready. If I do this again, and I probably will, I wouldn't leave them in the house after the first two weeks. I had to wash down the entire first floor of my house. It was like we'd been sheet walling for weeks. They're cute as buttons, and I love 'em, but whoa! That's one serious load of dust.

 

[sparkly_diamond]

Hi,

I have my chicks (4 wks old) in the house, we put down an old strip of kitchen lino and then each day I sweep and wipe it clean. It's a quick simple job, The have a run with a cover to stop them flying out, and they love it that they are part of the family. They come and "chat" to us, and feed from our hands. They have a shallow dish with sand and play in that.

To be honest, I love my set up and would happily (and most likely) do it again.

Good luck with the new chicks, they are so much fun, and so playfull. The fantastic thing about them being in the house is you end up spending time just watching them.