My chicks are, well chicken!

Denim Deb

More Precious than Rubies
Joined
Oct 21, 2010
Messages
14,993
Reaction score
619
Points
417
Today I was finally able to move my chicks out of the brooder. They were just getting too big to be in there. And, since having a hen w/4 young chicks at the time that I was planning on moving them out to the farm was not part of my plan, and since I haven't had time to finish making them a shelter and getting that area split up, I needed to come up w/something different. So, hubby suggested I put them in an old rabbit cage.

Yesterday we got it all cleaned up, but it needed a bit of repairs done to it to make it safe for them. So, he did that today. And, while it's not 100% how I would like it set up, it will do for now. (It will be getting remade once I figure it all out and should make a great brooder!)

On the one end, it has a wooden shelter area w/a hole cut in it that was big enough for a rabbit. So, I put shavings in that end. The main section has hardware cloth for the floor. There is a board about 3" wide next to the house part and on top of the cloth. In this section I got a waterer set up, and a small, hanging feeder. Then, I brought the chicks out and stuck them in the house end. Then I waited for them to come out and explore.

They wouldn't do it! The one came out as far as the cloth-and stopped. I got one of them out, and stuck it on the floor. Well, it sat there for a couple of seconds, then instead of walking back, it flew! So, we put down a piece of paneling to give it a solid floor. They STILL wouldn't come out. So then, I took shavings and put them on top of the paneling, and they STILL don't want to walk on it. So all I can figure is that my chicks are really chicken!
 

frustratedearthmother

Sustainability Master
Joined
Mar 10, 2012
Messages
20,978
Reaction score
24,354
Points
453
Location
USDA 9a
Quail do the same thing, lol. When they go from a solid bottomed brooder to a wire bottomed cage - they just don't seem to "get it." They'll just stand there, frozen, until forced to move and figure it out.
 

Denim Deb

More Precious than Rubies
Joined
Oct 21, 2010
Messages
14,993
Reaction score
619
Points
417
Last night, they got to experience their first T storm. I didn't hear anything out of them, so I'm hoping they're OK. It's getting light out, so I'm going to go and check them out.
 
Top