Housing baby chicks can be stressful and expensive.  So, TL and I use abandoned dog cages.  While the weather is cold, said cages are kept in the garage under a lamp (read: lamp with very energy inefficient bulb of any kind.)

When the weather is warm, I recommend Ivory’s Baby Chicken Tractor!

1.  Turn dog cage upside down.  (Important!)

2.  Remove tray.

3.  Fill with straw and flat bottom buckets for feed and water.

4.  Place tray on top for shade and protection.  A brick is helpful to keep it in place.

5.  Drag around yard at will, being careful to not trap chicken toes.  (Hint: lift one end)

Why upside down you say? The bottom of a kennel has BIG holes.  The top has little holes.  Inversion is important for two reasons:  a) Baby chicks can escape through bottom edges if it’s right side up.  b) Big person arms fit in easily through the bottom (now top) to allow for easy food/water maintenance and retrieval/return of individual chicks without having to open the cage door.  Blasted escape artists!

Ivory