Denim Deb
More Precious than Rubies
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2010
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- 14,993
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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!
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!
