Advice/PLEASE HELP - moving chicks to coop

[cblakley0531]

Hi All!

A little back story...my first three Aussies that I bought are about 8 weeks old or so, my silver laced wyandotte is around 4/5 weeks - I was waiting until my SLW was fully feathered before moving all of them to the coop because I didn't want to separate them. Well, I was planning on moving them to the coop this week since the littlest is finally feathered, but our area will be experiencing a rare HOT streak this time of year and I hear the general rule of thumb is keeping the ladies locked up inside the coop for about a week so they know that's where to live. My fear is leaving them locked up during the three hot days. Any other suggestions on how to handle this? The days are going to get hot but the nights still dip into the high 40s/low 50s. Thanks SO much in advance!

 

[lightchick]

You can give them lots of water with ice cubes

 

[Mama Kay W]

Do you have windows on the coop? I'd open all the windows and vents you might have and maybe put a fan in the coop.

 

[LauraSac]

I got lucky. We had rain the week I coop trained mine, and then we hit the 80's the next week. They stayed in the coop for two days after I opened the door, even though it was warm. The open door gave them more air, though, and I put ice in their water. I still do that on hot days, which we'll have this week.

The point of coop training is so they'll go up on their own at night. If it turns out it's really hot, you can let them out and if they're not going up on their own at night, you could always coop them up the next week. You might have the hassle of rustling them up at night this week, but I've known people who didn't do any coop training and their birds went into the coop on their own anyway.

 

[LauraSac]

By the way, I only kept mine locked in the coop for 5 days. I shortened the coop training because of the heat. But like I said, they stayed in on their own. I even had to lure them out for the first week the door was open.

 

[ourltlflock]

I just locked mine up at night. By the 4th day, they were already in the coop roosting when I went out to check them.

 

[cblakley0531]

You guys are all so amazing for the advice and help! Well, the hot streak was short lived (dang Western WA weather!) and now I'm having an another kind of issue...

My chicks are still in the brooder, my oldest gals NEED to get out of it, starting to have a space issue. They are in a craft room that is in the barn with a heater that is turned on the lowest setting before kicking on, I've completely weaned them off the heat lamp for a few days now and all seem to be tolerating things nicely. My problem is that at night outside it is still dipping to the low to mid 40s....do you think they would be okay if I moved them out there?

 

[LauraSac]

How old are they? I bought mine at 6 weeks so they've only been outside. They were fully feathered and did fine when it dipped into the low 40's. They didn't roost at first. They just cuddled up in a corner of the coop. Now that they roost, they still stay squished together at night. It gets down to the upper 40's or low 50's overnight, usually, but we had a warm night last week and they were just as plastered to each other as always. I only have two pullets, though. They're very bonded.

 

[subhanalah]

I put my young checks (6 weeks?) Outside and gave them a small plastic dog crate with the door taken off for them to climb into to keep each other warm and have a bit of insulation. I'm pretty sure a plain ole cardboard box would fit the bill.

 

[cblakley0531]

Thank you @subhanalah and @LauraSac !!! The youngest one is about 6 weeks old, one is about 7 weeks and the three oldest are about 8/9 weeks old. Time just went by SO fast and I can't believe I haven't gotten them out of there yet, just so paranoid! Now we are facing a potential dip to the high 30s but that's the only night this week. I'm frantically trying to get my linoleum laid down in the coop while trying to get my daughter's fourth birthday party planned and ready for this weekend! YIKES! LOL! Wish me luck!