kdt_ntexas
Chirping
- Jun 19, 2020
- 27
- 60
- 91
So I have 6 chicks from an Easter Egger rooster and Barred Plymouth Rock hen. The roo & hen are now the only ones left after two chickens died during a disastrous free-ranging trial. But that's another story.
I live in far north Texas. Temps are starting to taper down now *just* a bit, with excursions into the low 100's, I hope maybe we're through the worst of it. Forecast (ha ha!) is for lows in the low/mid-70s and highs in the upper 90s (around 20-25 degree swings)
The chicks are now almost 4 weeks (hatched 7/15), and have been in a brooder in an non-air-conditioned room in my small cabin. The room has stayed in the 80's, and there is a small non-lamp heater, if they want it. They do seem to hang around it all the time, though.
I want to transition them to outdoors, and then into the run, which is about 16x16 ft, and eventually the coop which was designed for 12-15 birds. Eventually I'd like all to free range.
Current plan is to put the brooder out on the porch (full shade) with a secured grated cover and a constant fan, then build a little screened in mini-coop in the run, transfer them to that at maybe 6-8 weeks (early September), then a couple of weeks later open a small door for them to let themselves in/out as needed. I figure 6 of them should allow them to not be harassed too much by the bigger birds, and the tiny door should allow them to get back inside if it gets too rough.
Thoughts?
I live in far north Texas. Temps are starting to taper down now *just* a bit, with excursions into the low 100's, I hope maybe we're through the worst of it. Forecast (ha ha!) is for lows in the low/mid-70s and highs in the upper 90s (around 20-25 degree swings)
The chicks are now almost 4 weeks (hatched 7/15), and have been in a brooder in an non-air-conditioned room in my small cabin. The room has stayed in the 80's, and there is a small non-lamp heater, if they want it. They do seem to hang around it all the time, though.
I want to transition them to outdoors, and then into the run, which is about 16x16 ft, and eventually the coop which was designed for 12-15 birds. Eventually I'd like all to free range.
Current plan is to put the brooder out on the porch (full shade) with a secured grated cover and a constant fan, then build a little screened in mini-coop in the run, transfer them to that at maybe 6-8 weeks (early September), then a couple of weeks later open a small door for them to let themselves in/out as needed. I figure 6 of them should allow them to not be harassed too much by the bigger birds, and the tiny door should allow them to get back inside if it gets too rough.
Thoughts?