Can’t wait to move in!

[406girl4life]

Our coop and run are all ready and the baby fluffs are definitely wanting to be out of the brooder!
When I take the wire mesh top off to clean they try to fly out and they have been pecking at each other a little bit today.
Hoping they won’t freeze out there with a heat lamp as it snowed another 5” last night and I planned to move them in this weekend.... crossing my fingers!!

 

[NewBoots]

Congratulations! Best of luck!

 

[406girl4life]

My barred rocks LOVED it! Played in the straw outside until I had to force them back in for the night.
My EEs refused to come out but seemed curious, didn’t want to push them and stress

them out.
Was super cute watching my BR fluffs figure out the ladder and see them run from one side to the other!
First time outside! It was also 20 degrees last night but the small lamp kept the coop at 50 and they seemed happy this morning still. Phew!

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are adorable ! Nice coop and set up for them! Do you have ventilation? I don’t see windows.

 

[Gargoyle]

They are adorable ! Nice coop and set up for them! Do you have ventilation? I don’t see windows.

I was thinking the same thing- they need some good air vents near the top.

 

[406girl4life]

I was wondering that too. We bought it from a lady who definately knows what she’s doing and has like 100 chickens now so didn’t use this small coop anymore so I assumed it was fine since she’s used it without issues.
Should I cut a vent at the top?
I plan on keeping the little ramp side-door open when I’m home and during the day all summer (as long as predators don’t become an issue) but close it up at night....

 

[aart]

I was wondering that too. We bought it from a lady who definately knows what she’s doing and has like 100 chickens now so didn’t use this small coop anymore so I assumed it was fine since she’s used it without issues.
Should I cut a vent at the top?
I plan on keeping the little ramp side-door open when I’m home and during the day all summer (as long as predators don’t become an issue) but close it up at night....

Are the roof corrugations open both high and low?
A window for light is always good IMO, top hinged would keep rain out.

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[Peepsi]

Looks good, but I worry about the chicken wire on the run. Chicken wire tends to be very flimsy and terrible at keeping predators out. A raccoon can easily rip through it to get to your chickens. They can also reach their paws in through it and grab an unsuspecting chicken and rip it piece by piece through the wire. Hopefully you live in an area without many predators! If you do have predators, perhaps set up some live wire around the run. Just a suggestion. Also....Cute chickens!

 

[406girl4life]

Looks good, but I worry about the chicken wire on the run. Chicken wire tends to be very flimsy and terrible at keeping predators out. A raccoon can easily rip through it to get to your chickens. They can also reach their paws in through it and grab an unsuspecting chicken and rip it piece by piece through the wire. Hopefully you live in an area without many predators! If you do have predators, perhaps set up some live wire around the run. Just a suggestion. Also....Cute chickens!

Living in the Montana mountains, there are predators everywhere! I mostly worry about neighbors dogs and therefore kinda of built things for that. Once the ground thaws more we’re gonna bury the excess wire in the ground for digging dogs and coyotes.
Never had issues with raccoons yet but who knows. Mostly just deer and dogs/cats that roam at large all over my area.

 

[Peepsi]

Living in the Montana mountains, there are predators everywhere! I mostly worry about neighbors dogs and therefore kinda of built things for that. Once the ground thaws more we’re gonna bury the excess wire in the ground for digging dogs and coyotes.
Never had issues with raccoons yet but who knows. Mostly just deer and dogs/cats that roam at large all over my area.

Unfortunately, animals that you've never seen before will eventually discover the tasty chickens out there and will try to get in the run (The problem with chickens is that literally everyone thinks they taste delicious!). Most people in predator-heavy areas use hardware cloth on their run, as it has small enough holes that predators can't reach their paws through, and is a heavy-enough gauge that determined predators can't tear through. (Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PD9JX0/?tag=backy-20 )

You can use electric (live) wire around the run that may deter some predators (search online for "electric fencing" or go to your hardware/animal feed store and ask about it).

Some people have a guard dog for their chickens who will watch the chicken area at night and run off any predators.

If you put them in the coop each night and keep the cooped predator-proof, that would help, but some predators get bold, and attack in the early morning or evening before the chickens are in the coop.

I just don't want you to wake up one day to a nasty surprise!