Chicks first foray into the wide wide world...

[AtHomeOnThRange]

The weather has been warm, and the chicks have survived their first week as a member of my household, so they got to go out into the back yard for an evening constitutional...



And my son couldn't resist getting into their "play pen" with them:



That dog will be a problem - he doesn't get that those chicks are MINE!

 

[RottenFlower]

SO.CUTE!!!

My girls had their first foray into the yard yesterday as well. They're not my biggest fans when they live in the bathtub and I try to get them, but every time something spooked them in the yard, they came running right to me.

They had so much fun. I'm taking them out for an hour or so each day while it's sunny & warm.

 

[gander007]

Nice protective chick outdoor setup you have ...

Chicks are so much fun to watch ....

 

[AtHomeOnThRange]

Nice protective chick outdoor setup you have ...

Chicks are so much fun to watch ....

Thanks. I wanted to build something that we could use later, either as a chicken tractor, or for quarantine.

 

[gander007]

Quote:
Oh ya nothing like dull purpose

 

[AtHomeOnThRange]

My chicks spent their first night in their new home last night. I practically had to sit on my hands to resist the urge to go out and check on them every few minutes...



They are spending most of their time today under the coop, because, for right now, that's the only shade they have.



We're going to have to increase the ventilation, it gets too hot in the coop, and we need to provide them with additional shade. We can't plant trees (easement issues), but I'm trying to think of some kind of large shrub...suggestions would be appreciated! We still have to install the pop door, for now, they are using one of the clean out doors for going in and out. Also, we realized that we need to build a better ramp. They don't like the think white poles on the piece we're using now (that's why there's a piece of trash siding clamped to it).

There's lots to be done, but it's 100*F out there now, and we can't seem to work up the energy to do anything but sit around and watch them exploring their new home.

 

[san415]

I think your ramp looks good!

 

[AtHomeOnThRange]

I think your ramp looks good!

Thank you! I thought it would work, but only the largest, most confident hens will go up it without the siding attached. In it's previous life, it was a shelf in my laundry room that fell one night and scared us all to death! I've had it leaning against the wall in the garage forever just waiting to put it to use for the chickens. Maybe we can still keep using it, with a few modifications...

 

[gander007]

My chicks spent their first night in their new home last night. I practically had to sit on my hands to resist the urge to go out and check on them every few minutes...



They are spending most of their time today under the coop, because, for right now, that's the only shade they have.



We're going to have to increase the ventilation, it gets too hot in the coop, and we need to provide them with additional shade. We can't plant trees (easement issues), but I'm trying to think of some kind of large shrub...suggestions would be appreciated! We still have to install the pop door, for now, they are using one of the clean out doors for going in and out. Also, we realized that we need to build a better ramp. They don't like the think white poles on the piece we're using now (that's why there's a piece of trash siding clamped to it).

There's lots to be done, but it's 100*F out there now, and we can't seem to work up the energy to do anything but sit around and watch them exploring their new home.

I know the feeling of sitting on your hands but now you have teenagers and off they go ...

Ventilation is so very important and if you put a celling fan in your coop like I did the fan needs to suck the air up not down .....

Shrubs ha ha that is why I let the Stage Brush grow instead of chopping it down .... Chick need to hide ...

 

[AtHomeOnThRange]

I know the feeling of sitting on your hands but now you have teenagers and off they go ...

Ventilation is so very important and if you put a celling fan in your coop like I did the fan needs to suck the air up not down .....

Shrubs ha ha that is why I let the Stage Brush grow instead of chopping it down .... Chick need to hide ...

We're going to put an RV bathroom vent fan in the ceiling of their coop to draw the air up and out the attic vents. I think we may have an old one somewhere...if not, I'll just have to spring for one.

As for shade, I have some canvas drop cloths that are either 6' x 8' or 9' and rope. I'm going to put one in each of the two back corners of their run, to give them more shade until I can get something to grow in there.

It'll be a poor man's version of this:



With four corners instead of three.