6 week old chicks in coop/run Now with Pics of the COOP

[chickadeedeedee]

how much changing does this coop need???

 

[r-l-newell]

Quote:
Do you have to buy the door for the Door Opener or can I use the wooden one in place already and run the pulley and wire and etc. to the existing pop door?

 

[TipsyDog]

Quote:
Do you have to buy the door for the Door Opener or can I use the wooden one in place already and run the pulley and wire and etc. to the existing pop door?

I tried that, put unfortunately the woman at Foy's said the warranty is "Null and Void" unless I use their door. So I just bought it. I don't think it was worth the price, but my DH told me to get it. It works fine, but they said they cannot honor a warranty since they have no idea what the motor and pulley would be pulling (size/weight). Makes sense I guess as far as the manufacturer is concerned.

 

[St. Olaf]

Hi all,

I'm new, and though I've been reading the site for two months, I haven't found exact answers to the below.

1) Regarding the automatic door opener/closer (http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/catalog/2100-2107.html), do I have to buy the timer, doorkeeper, and door? Also, as my barn stall they will be in has a chicken door that swings open and latches above itself to stay open (instead of sliding straight up and down like the doors pictured), is there an auto opener that can open a door that swings open?

2) I see here that folks have said chicks only need medicated feed for the first few weeks. However, when I bought a big bag of medicated crumbles at Southern States, it says on it to feed it to them until they are of egg-laying age. As I have such a big bag of it (that says to keep feeding them it), will it hurt them to be on medicated feed past the first 4-5 weeks?

3) As noted above, I will have mine (9 chicks - 5 weeks old) in a secure 8x12 barn stall (with door to run and electric mesh retaining fence in a few weeks). Is it OK to put straw down, and how often (with 9 chicks) do I have to clean it out and put new straw down?

4) As noted, I'm about to move them to the end stall of a 3 stall barn. After tomorrow, (I'm here in Maryland) when it's supposed to be a high of 66 and low of 45, it looks to usually be in the upper 70s and lows in 50s. I have a 200w heat lamp that I thought I'd aim at a corner of the stall and try to lay down a big rectangular rubber maid bin parallel to the wall to make a somewhat protected corner. Should that be enough heat, or do they need a second lamp (which I have)? As spring has arrived, at what age and temp can they survive overnight without the lamp (since I see you guys suggest they need regular sleep)?

Sorry for all the questions! I have looked around here a lot, but see conflicting or incomplete answers and was finally motivated to post. I think all the info on the site is GREAT, I just am nervous enough my first time through that I figured I'd ask directly (at the risk of appearing ignorant/lazy).

 

[TipsyDog]

St. Olaf :

Hi all,

I'm new, and though I've been reading the site for two months, I haven't found exact answers to the below.

1) Regarding the automatic door opener/closer (http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/catalog/2100-2107.html), do I have to buy the timer, doorkeeper, and door? Also, as my barn stall they will be in has a chicken door that swings open and latches above itself to stay open (instead of sliding straight up and down like the doors pictured), is there an auto opener that can open a door that swings open?

2) I see here that folks have said chicks only need medicated feed for the first few weeks. However, when I bought a big bag of medicated crumbles at Southern States, it says on it to feed it to them until they are of egg-laying age. As I have such a big bag of it (that says to keep feeding them it), will it hurt them to be on medicated feed past the first 4-5 weeks?

3) As noted above, I will have mine (9 chicks - 5 weeks old) in a secure 8x12 barn stall (with door to run and electric mesh retaining fence in a few weeks). Is it OK to put straw down, and how often (with 9 chicks) do I have to clean it out and put new straw down?

4) As noted, I'm about to move them to the end stall of a 3 stall barn. After tomorrow, (I'm here in Maryland) when it's supposed to be a high of 66 and low of 45, it looks to usually be in the upper 70s and lows in 50s. I have a 200w heat lamp that I thought I'd aim at a corner of the stall and try to lay down a big rectangular rubber maid bin parallel to the wall to make a somewhat protected corner. Should that be enough heat, or do they need a second lamp (which I have)? As spring has arrived, at what age and temp can they survive overnight without the lamp (since I see you guys suggest they need regular sleep)?

Sorry for all the questions! I have looked around here a lot, but see conflicting or incomplete answers and was finally motivated to post. I think all the info on the site is GREAT, I just am nervous enough my first time through that I figured I'd ask directly (at the risk of appearing ignorant/lazy).

I'll try to answer your questions. You can also start a new post and get alot more answers.

#1. My door had the same set up as yours but since I needed to buy their door (for the warranty) it comes with two metal sliders on each side. I removed my original door and screwed their sliders on and that allows their door to slide up and down to open that way. On the Foy's website, you'd want to buy the doorkeeper (inside or outside) and the sliding door. That's what you'll need to get started. If you call them, they will answer ALL your questions, not a problem. You can post a new topic about this and many people here have different closers. Or do a search on auto coop or pop doors.

#2. I was told you should give medicated feed to 8 weeks. You can definetly feed much longer, but I would switch to layer by 12 to 14 weeks depending on the breed of chicken or if you think they are getting ready to lay. They should be on the layer feed a few weeks prior to laying their first eggs since it contains everything they need to lay. If you have a big bag I would just use it till you switch to layer.

#3. There are many methods to keeping a coop. You can research "deep litter method" for one. I use hay in my coop and find the girls are outside all day so the coop doesn't get as dirty as you'd think. I also use a "poop board" under their roost which catches most droppings and I just scrape it off everyday so the coop is clean. You shouldn't have to clean out a coop that size too often for 9 chickens in there provided they are outside all day. You can also clean out all the bedding or add more on top, whatever works for you. You can use straw, I just prefer hay and many people use pine wood chips also.

#4. Your 5 week old chicks will be just fine outside after tomorrow. I don't think they'd even need a heat lamp, but I'd probably put one out for another week or two, just so they acclimate to the cooler nights. They should huddle if they are cold, that's OK. I think after that they would be fine outside with no heat source (unless we have another cold snap like today).

Hope that helped. I'm not an expert, so please research and keep asking questions. I'm just letting you know how I do it. Post your questions for more precise answers. Good luck and enjoy your chicks!

Edited: spelling​

 

[gryeyes]

For my third coop (biggest and best), I installed one of those auto-doors from Foy's. I bought it second hand from another BYCer. IT'S WONDERFUL!

Because I have my adolescent pullets in my #2 coop, I still have to open their pop door. And the two Lakenvelder girls sleep in coop #1, the A-Frame coop, so I have to open THEIR door in the morning, too. Therefore, only 7 of my 9 big chickens get the benefit of the auto-door. Oh, and the ducks too; they've taken to sleeping inside Coop# 3 with the chickens. Everybody else has to wait for me to come outside and let them out. As well as close them in at night. However, all the coops are inside the run fencing, which is pretty darned secure.

Coop #2 with the adolescent pullets is attached to a covered pen, which I keep closed right now while the young pullets grow up bigger. So they're segregated from the rest of the flock, but still visible. I still close their pop door at night and open it in the morning; they come tumbling out into their pen, hungry and feisty.

I hope everybody will eventually use Coop #3, which I've taken to calling Chez Poulet, for sleeping. Dunno about those Lakenvelder girls! The A-Frame is the coop most of the hens use for laying their eggs, but Minerva and Millicent prefer to sleep in it. Every now and then, one of them will choose to sleep with the other chickens.

I highly recommend using any type of (reliable) automatic chicken door. Using one doesn't mean y'all don't still check on your chickens, their feed and water, and the condition of their coop & bedding. It just means you don't have to get up at dawn if you don't want to (on the weekends, let's say) and if you are late getting home some night, the chickens will still get their coop door closed by dark. (I go out and count chickens anyway; right now it's just to see if they're continuing to make it in at night, and where they're sleeping and if all is well and good.)