A new adventurer

The Draft

Chirping
Jun 7, 2017
11
12
54
Hello and what a great fourm for a new chicken keeper!

This is the first time attempting to keep chickens. We moved on 5 acers 1 year ago and wanted chickens from day 1. I wish I was a farmer and feel I will love the atmosphere of free ranging chickens, There eggs are a bonus. Well it took me a year and a birthday before my wife gave in. :)

We have 6 bielefelder chickens and received them when they wear 2 days old but 2-3 of them looked 1 week old? Now they are about 3 weeks old.

Yesterday I found a small "A" frame coop at a garage sale I could not pass up. I hope it will last about 1 month before they out grow it. If I can get the coop ready for them today they would be pleased. Work that I think the coop needs, Small window, better chicken wire on side, lock down doors better, adding a wire apron around the bottom to stop critters from digging in and a ladder that I forget to grab.

Questions at this age do I take the ladder up and seal the opining until I come home? The space on the top of the "A" frame I think is to small for all day. I was hoping I could let them have free range of the entire coop all day. The plane for now is to move the coop daily around the yard. Im starting their main rustic coop from lumber Im making from the trees on our land! I made a bid this morning on a used trailer Im planing on building it on for a easy way to move it around.

My family is to busy like the rest of you and try to get down time when we can. We love everything about the outdoors and wild life.

Thank you for the advice everyone already shared with me while I spent many hours on this site already!
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC! :frow

At this age, you probably could close them in during the day IF they have adequate windows and ventilation, at the same time no chance of overheating. Of course as they age, close quarters as this will be too much for them. As adults, then will need at least 5 square feet per bird in the coop, 10 square feet per bird in a run. As babies, they can usually tolerate half these amounts.

Good luck with this new adventure and welcome to our roost!
 
Hi and welcome to BYC - you have some great advice already so I'll just say hello!


All the best

CT
 

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