Where to put my brooder?

[MjsChickens]

I am having a problem with the location of my brooder. Originally I was going to put my chicks/brooder in a nearby shed, but faulty wiring makes it a major fire hazard, and we will have the electricity turned off soon. This building is also infested with rodents. I have another shed, but the bottom is rotted out, and there are holes everywhere in the walls, along with the fact it has no electricity. This shed is not an option for anything living. I am fixing a run down coop from the previous owners, but the coop still has mouse bedding in it, easy places to escape, and no electricity (for the heat lamp), although I could run an extension cord and try to plug up holes. One of my family members thinks we should keep them on our back porch. The porch is elevated, and has railing around it, with some baby gates on both sides for a younger family member. My major concern is that it is not predator proof in the least, and I have seen snakes, falcons, etc. If they were on the porch, the chicks would still have a heat lamp. I would much rather keep them inside, but we are pressed on space, and I have a indoor cat who would not hesitate on hunting a free chicken nugget. The basement has some open space, but I would need to make it completely cat proof, and that would be nearly impossible. I am going to pick up my chicks from cackle hatchery on June 26th, so I have some time Is keeping the chicks on the porch reasonable? Will I need to figure out a way to squeeze them in the house? We have no garage, only our sheds. Should I try and predator proof the coop and get some heatpacks or run an extension cord somehow? Thanks in advance

 

[The Golden Egg5]

Maybe you could find a lid for the brooder? That way you could put it in the garage and the cat wouldn't be able to get in. I used an old window screen for my lid

 

[MjsChickens]

@The Golden Egg5 Sadly I don't have a garage, but a lid is a good idea, as my last chicks were fliers My cat has killed many animals, including my sister's pet lizard, snake, and a fish. Keep in mind, these animals were all kept with bullet proof lids, and my cat still got to them

 

[The Golden Egg5]

Lol meant to say basement. I was thinking of my chicks in the garage right now.

That's horrible! Maybe if you have a rarely used bathroom or other room you could keep them in there and close the door? Or if your basement has a door you can close it so the cat cant get in. Just an idea.

 

[imnukensc]

My little brooder (4 chicks) made from a big Rubbermaid tote is on the back porch. I also have a cat that will kill anything that skitters, slithers, crawls, hops, flies, etc. I made a lid for the brooder with some hardware cloth and 1x4s. A gallon jug of water sits on top of that.

 

[Chickenlover2017]

Find a box and keep her in an extra room you may have check this out https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/pretty-hens.1181066/#post-18621418

 

[getaclue]

Bathroom, in a big closet, laundry room....

 

[Chickenlover2017]

Yep

 

[Dahchickenfarmer]

If i were you i would put them in the house

 

[MjsChickens]

@getaclue My family recently moved to a smaller house, although we now have a lot of acreage. Currently we only we have one bathroom (doing renovations later this summer) and we are a family of six. Our washing machine etc.is in the bathroom. I will be getting 17 chicks/keets. Do you think the porch will work, or will I have to try and get electricity to the chicken coop? Thanks in advance.