Where should my baby chicks be at?

[RiXiBLu]

So I just got 4 baby chicks from the feed store and I’ve put them in a big rectangular bucket with food, water, bedding, and a red heat lamp. But the only place I can put them are on my back porch and the low outside is about 56 degrees Fahrenheit. My back porch has a roof and it’s on a high ground with tall wooden fences. But is it ok for them to be there? They are actually being ok in there but I don’t know if it’s a good idea for them to be there for now until they get bigger. And they have a heat lamp in their bucket.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Is the porch enclosed or can predators get to them?

 

[RiXiBLu]

Is the porch enclosed or can predators get to them?

I think it may be since it has a gate and the fences are like walls but you can still see the outside. So the back porch may be a bit secure. And I haven’t seen any predators get there. But just as long as the gate is closed, then probably no predators will get in.

 

[citymeetscountry]

Is the porch enclosed or can predators get to them?

This is my question too. I know you said fences, but is there a cover on the bucket you have them in? If so, do they have ventilation. Have you measured the heat output with the lamp?

Do you have a pic of their enclosure?

I think a lot of it is what you feel lost comfortable with. I brooded our chicks in the garage (close/attached to the house but covered and away from predators.) Our ducks spent the first 2 weeks in the garage and have moved out to the detached workshop-still enclosed and away from predators for the most part.

 

[RiXiBLu]

This is my question too. I know you said fences, but is there a cover on the bucket you have them in? If so, do they have ventilation. Have you measured the heat output with the lamp?

Do you have a pic of their enclosure?

I think a lot of it is what you feel lost comfortable with. I brooded our chicks in the garage (close/attached to the house but covered and away from predators.) Our ducks spent the first 2 weeks in the garage and have moved out to the detached workshop-still enclosed and away from predators for the most part.

Well, the porch does have a roof already but I’ll probably cover the bucket with something if necessary. And the heat lamp is on one side and is about more than a foot above the chicks. And the bulb is a 250 watt and has red light.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Can you show some photos of your setup? I'm really concerned that you have them in a "bucket" - how big of a space is it? Chicks need room to move around, and more importantly, need to be able to get under the heat source as well as AWAY from the heat source. There ideally should be a 10 degree or bigger drop from one side of the brooder to the other.

Also, in general, I'm having a hard time telling if this is a secure area or not. For my area, a porch would NOT be secure at all, it's just the landing outside a door. Also you mentioned covering the bucket but ventilation is paramount - the lid needs to be an open mesh of some sort.

 

[RiXiBLu]

Can you show some photos of your setup? I'm really concerned that you have them in a "bucket" - how big of a space is it? Chicks need room to move around, and more importantly, need to be able to get under the heat source as well as AWAY from the heat source. There ideally should be a 10 degree or bigger drop from one side of the brooder to the other.

Also, in general, I'm having a hard time telling if this is a secure area or not. For my area, a porch would NOT be secure at all, it's just the landing outside a door. Also you mentioned covering the bucket but ventilation is paramount - the lid needs to be an open mesh of some sort.

The bucket is rectangular and the heat lamp is south of the bucket in this photo. But with the bedding, all I have is puppy pads but I don’t know what else I could use for bedding without buying pine shavings. I think I should rise the lamp up a bit more but they’re still ok. And also the back porch I live at is very large. It’s sorta similar to a regular room and there was refrigerator there once and only took up about one twelfth of the porch.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Unless that porch is fully enclosed, they're in danger. Is that what you mean by "regular room?" Everything will eat chickens, and many of those things can climb pretty much any fence: raccoons, cats, possum...

 

[Justicedog]

If it were me, I'd have them inside. I couldn't even let my chicks be in the garage when it was in the 50's outside.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yeah you're going to need a bigger brooder - the food and water are pretty close together (which can cause the food to get wet and spoil) and the chicks don't have much additional space past that. Certainly not enough space to get away from heat when they don't need it.

By 2 weeks old they need a minimum of 1 sq ft of open floor space per bird (and I highly recommend going above minimum if possible). A very large cardboard box or a few taped together (like a few moving boxes) should do for 4 chicks. Cover it with hardware cloth taped down to a cardboard "frame" for a lid to prevent fly aways.

I don't doubt your porch is big enough but unless it's fully enclosed (basically a sunroom type set up) then predators and pests can get in. Even something as small as a rat can kill a chick.