Living with cats around can cause problems for chickens and other birds that don’t have a mother to protect them.
Using a couple items that you probably already have laying around, you can make a cat-proof (and other bird hunting animal proof) brooder for outdoor use.
What you’ll need:
Metal dog cage
Chicken wire
Wire cutters
Supervising Adult (for children working)
Once you’ve gathered everything you need, the rest is easy as pie (though not as delish).
Simply wrap the dog cage in the chicken wire. Be sure to use wire cutters to (carefully) snip away around the door to the cage.
We like to leave the bottom open to allow the birds steal snippets of grass and snatch up bugs. It also makes moving the cage easier, leaving nothing to catch or pinch their feet when sliding to a new spot.
The handful of ducks and couple of keets looks like they’re doing just fine in their outside brooder. Be sure to give your birds shade and check on them throughout the day – the sun changes direction and your birds’ health will go South fast if you leave them in direct sunlight. Remember, they can’t find shade if they’re in the cage.
And they’re probably thankful that bird killing animals, like our Yorkie, Moose, can’t get to them. If he was able, Moose would gladly paw at one of the birds and pull them through the cage just for a fun kill. Or a cat might drag one out for a self-served snack.
