Anyone else buy their chicks before they had a coop?

[Liafast]

I bought 6 babies last year and got 3 more off craigslist. I gave away all the roosters except 1, that left me with 2 hens and a rooster. I kept them in a chicken tractor until they got to big for that. Then I put them in a 10x10 dog kennel that was on decking and gave them a dog house to roost in. The weather turned cold and I didn't have my coop or chicken yard built. I felt sorry for Noodles, Nugget and Dumpling (the chicken names) and gave them to a friend of mine who has a nice chicken area. I went to the feed store today to get dog food...guess what? I came home with 8 babies......So I have not only got chickens with no coop not once but twice. I also had nothing prepared at home for either batch of the babies. The new babies are happy, full and sleeping right now. I think its time to get the coop built.....

 

[Cass]

Quote:
Nope, can't be done. No motivation to go out in the cold if there aren't chicks in the house causing lots of dust and a little havoc.

OR you can do what *I* did. I planned it perfectly. My coop is going to be ready at the EXACT moment I agreed with the breeder to pick up my started pullets. Then her hatch failed, so I bought 4 banties that are ready to be picked up YESTERDAY and I am still on schedule for 2 weeks from now.

 

[theFox]

I order the chicks, then I get the coop materials, get the chicks, build the coop, then the girls go out in the coop. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't.

This year I'm going the order the chicks, build the coop (already have the materials) and hopefully will be able to brood them in their coop. Also not going to pick up chicks until June.

 

[jtbrown]

I have wanted chicks for years. My DH agreed to chicks at end of April, so we could build during month of may while they hung out in brooder in basement. We went to tsc after setting up brooder and now have 17 chicks brooding and 25 coming on April 28. Now we need to build in April. Good thing my husband is rolling with this. I tried we build and then they will come for several years and was left without coop and without chicks. I now have chicks, we HAVE to build!

 

[lady feathers]

Yes... bought a few over 100 chicks and we still don't have the coop built, they are 4 weeks old now! My hubby is a very busy person working full-time12 hour shifts plus a side business and I have two very small kids at home so we are a bit behind schedule. Kinda hard to get started with cold temps and snow on the ground and no where to place 2 kids under 3 without them getting cold, soaked or both. Fortunately our plans are ready... wood/indows/supplies are on hand and hubby has almost 3 weeks of vacation time in April. Vacaction-that's what he thinks!!!! I also, have plenty of basement space left incase it takes us longer than exected

 

[jackolantern]

we just bought six chicks lastnight and we dont have a coop.. my land lord told me to use the small aluminum shed out back has no floor.. and a broken window in it but i have the dump trailer so im gonn get started when it stops rainingsupposed to be mid week we shall see.. after all this is spokane