1st flock getting ready for outside. Do they look ready

[Redeagletrapping]

Hey everyone,
So it is now the start of week 5 for me and the first flock. I have a few questions and need a lil advice.

I've watched this forum read books and have mostly everything ready.

#1 do the chickens look ready for outside with no heat lamp. Feathers in all but one scraggly one that appears slightly younger bu about half a week development.

The coop is a tractor supply coop pic below, I have more chicks than will handle these at full size but will be fine for a week while I either make or modify a shed for a coop.

#2 5 ducks 2 pekins and 3 browns forget their name. The browns are feathered, the pekins are almost fully feathered.

I built a ground box for them, do they look ready with no heat?

Would you shut the door at night or let them wander in the enclosure knowing it has the aeiral protection and ground mesh protection?

#3 I have 6x10x10 kennel all the way around and 1/2 "x 2' hardware cloth buried around base of the run. I am attaching today chicken wire to the top to keep out aerial assaults.

This is all attached to a larger fenced in yard for the baby goats coming in a week, will be pygmy and pygoras. The yards are separated by sharing a common wall as seen in pics below.

The goat barn could be in theory converted into a chicken coop and I could just build a bigger goat barn. Or leave as is and build a custom coop.

Thoughts on this?

#4 since this is the first flock and no losses in the raising process and ready for outside, where do you recommend I put the water and feed in these enclosures for the chickens and ducks at night.

Temperatures will be low 32 tonight highs in low 60s this week and every other night for the 10 day forecast is low to mid 40s.

Thanks a bunch for all the help.

Edit pics of ouside area is pre mesh down.

Don't have any updated of finished yet will later.

 

[SamuelMcF]

I love the big run. Looks great!

I think they are big enough but they should still have a heat lamp especially at night. I think they are definitely feathered out enough that they can regulate their own temperature but if it is getting as low as 32 they will need some heat.

As for the feed and water, I leave both outside in the run area. They don't need it at night while they are roosting and I get up early enough to let them out that they are fine.

I always lock my flock in at night even with a secure run. We have had owls get our ducks before that were inside a run similar to yours, so that is not something you want to risk either. Some pests can climb as well, even though I doubt they would climb that high but you never know. I've sadly lost a lot of chickens to raccoons and other predators that I am super careful with this. Hopefully in your area it is not as bad though.

 

[Redeagletrapping]

I love the big run. Looks great!

I think they are big enough but they should still have a heat lamp especially at night. I think they are definitely feathered out enough that they can regulate their own temperature but if it is getting as low as 32 they will need some heat.

As for the feed and water, I leave both outside in the run area. They don't need it at night while they are roosting and I get up early enough to let them out that they are fine.

I always lock my flock in at night even with a secure run. We have had owls get our ducks before that were inside a run similar to yours, so that is not something you want to risk either. Some pests can climb as well, even though I doubt they would climb that high but you never know. I've sadly lost a lot of chickens to raccoons and other predators that I am super careful with this. Hopefully in your area it is not as bad though.

Thanks for the info , the big issue is where do I put a heat lamp on the little coop lol.

Maybe I can open the side window and point it through the window ?

Or wait until tomorrow when it's in the low 40s.

I am going to do a larger barn just not sure if I should turn the goat one into the coop and build a bigger goat barn.

Thanks

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I do not know the answer to all your questions but I do have a few suggestions. Leaving feed outside in the run all night is an invitation to varmints from mice to rats to raccoons. I would recommend locking it up at night in a secure place.

 

[Redeagletrapping]

Thanks for sharing that.

I do not know the answer to all your questions but I do have a few suggestions. Leaving feed outside in the run all night is an invitation to varmints from mice to rats to raccoons. I would recommend locking it up at night in a secure place.

 

[AmesAcres]

I personally waited until mine were a bit older, but only because I knew I did not want to have a heat lamp in the coop. We did one night when they were about 6 weeks old with temps of about 40 degrees, the next night, we put them back in the brooder and kept them there for two more weeks because when I went to check on them, they were huddled on top of each other in the corner.

Ours are about 8-9 weeks old now and have fully adjusted to coop life. I make sure to put them in their coop each night and lock it shut so they know it is home and that they are safe. We too have netting over our large chicken run, but I do not want to risk anything getting to my flock.

I like to keep the food and water in the run during the day when they are free to go in and out of the run/coop, but put it in with them at night to deter predators or any other critters from wanting to enter the run.

I hope this helps and good luck!

 

[Redeagletrapping]

I personally waited until mine were a bit older, but only because I knew I did not want to have a heat lamp in the coop. We did one night when they were about 6 weeks old with temps of about 40 degrees, the next night, we put them back in the brooder and kept them there for two more weeks because when I went to check on them, they were huddled on top of each other in the corner.

Ours are about 8-9 weeks old now and have fully adjusted to coop life. I make sure to put them in their coop each night and lock it shut so they know it is home and that they are safe. We too have netting over our large chicken run, but I do not want to risk anything getting to my flock.

I like to keep the food and water in the run during the day when they are free to go in and out of the run/coop, but put it in with them at night to deter predators or any other critters from wanting to enter the run.

I hope this helps and good luck!

That helps alot thank you. These guys are prob 6 weeks we got em all at tsc and they were prob 1 week old maybe a tad older. Its the cold tonight as well as rain that makes me question it right now, the next 10 days looks to be lows in 40s and highs in the 60s.

We had them out the other day for a few hours just acclimating and back in at night.

Thanks

 

[Counting chickens]

I use that fencing for my run because 1) Bad back, fence building wouldn't help that 2) not that great at building fence to start with.
Looks Great, Have fun!!

 

[AmesAcres]

That helps alot thank you. These guys are prob 6 weeks we got em all at tsc and they were prob 1 week old maybe a tad older. Its the cold tonight as well as rain that makes me question it right now, the next 10 days looks to be lows in 40s and highs in the 60s.

We had them out the other day for a few hours just acclimating and back in at night.

Thanks

I would probably keep them in their brooder tonight and then test the waters with the warmer nights to come!

Good luck and glad I could help!

 

[Redeagletrapping]

I use that fencing for my run because 1) Bad back, fence building wouldn't help that 2) not that great at building fence to start with.
Looks Great, Have fun!!

Agreed plus this fencing is nice as it can be moved down the road. I attached the mesh in 1p foot lengths to the bottom and buried and oveapped corners so that way down the road I can take apart and move kinda like a giant coop tractor lol.

I have issues with my back as well after someone decided to get high at 8am in January and come through an intersection and hit me head on. So this is easier to work with and its like Legos for adults lol.