Advice for brooder to coop!

[mmjisawesome]

Can I have some advice for garage to outdoor coop?

 

[RonC]

When they are fully feathered they can usually move to the coop. Ween them from their brooder lamp if you are using one for a few days before the big move. I see your in Texas also so I know your weather is warm enough. Just make sure they will be secure in their run.Any other specific questions just ask.

 

[gardendufus]

Different answers on that one depending on your situation. Is this a first time flock (no other birds in the coop)? Or will you be integrating with others?

Easiest is if it's a first time flock. Be sure your birds are weaned off the heat lamp (I can't imagine in Texas you will have a need for a heat lamp out in the coop. I suggest if the heat allows that you put your birds on lockdown in the coop for 2-3 days to get it firmly in their minds that the coop is now home. If it's too hot to lock them down, well, that's just the breaks. Make sure they have plenty of food, water and a roost (which they may not use at first). Don't worry if they cry, peep, squawk (probably too young for squawking). DON'T bring them back to the garage, it only prolongs the pain.

Do they have a secure run, or are you free ranging? If they have a secure run, after the first couple of days (or if you can't lock them down, then on the first day), just open the POP door and let them go outside at will. They MAY stay in the coop. Don't worry about it. They will come outside when they are comfortable with the situation. I don't freerange, so if (and I'm sure they are) things are different, I can't offer advice.

I don't know much about integrating flocks, so I won't speak to that. Come to think of it, as a first time flocker myself, I don't really know much of anything but what has actually happened/worked for me, and I brooded my chicks in my coop so that made it easier.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

I put mine out at about 6 weeks old. I had the heat lamp on them, but they pobably didn't need it. of course, i don't any other chickens, so i didn't have to introduce them to the bigger ones. If you do, i would let the bigger chickens look at the chicks, like through a chicken wire fence to get used to them first.