Coop ready?

[Nuts4FluffyButtsi]

My fluffy butts are ready for the hut...atleast I am hahah but for real! They’ll be 6 weeks this weekend and I’m ready to put the outside. I have a few questions for people though..
1) for those who build their coop, what did you do for ventilation? This worries me the most.

2) best bedding options to keep my pulletts warm? It’s suppose to snow Sunday and Monday but then shoot back up to the 40s during day and 30s at night.

3) any tips or tricks to transferring chicks from thehome to the coop?

 

[CluckerFamily]

They will be fine at night. It is 12F this morning and yesterday morning it a little above 0F.
Are these your first batch or are you going to have to rig a chicken wire wall so that the other birds can't get to them? If this is your first batch, you could carry them in a tub into the coop.
I keep everyone in the coop for 1-2 weeks before allowing them to freely go into the run. This way they will know where home is.

 

[DobieLover]

1) for those who build their coop, what did you do for ventilation? This worries me the most.

2) best bedding options to keep my pulletts warm? It’s suppose to snow Sunday and Monday but then shoot back up to the 40s during day and 30s at night.

3) any tips or tricks to transferring chicks from the home to the coop?

1) Everywhere light is coming in is a vent in addition to the ridge vent seen in the ceiling where the two sides of the roof deck come together.
There is also a pop door that is left open year round that was not cut in yet at the time this picture was taken.

2) I use hemp bedding and have used pine shavings. About 4-6" to pad landings.

3) I would put them out in the coop with thick bedding and a huddle box with an old towel thrown over it so they can sleep in that until they are ready to roost.

 

[Nuts4FluffyButtsi]

They will be fine at night. It is 12F this morning and yesterday morning it a little above 0F.
Are these your first batch or are you going to have to rig a chicken wire wall so that the other birds can't get to them? If this is your first batch, you could carry them in a tub into the coop.
I keep everyone in the coop for 1-2 weeks before allowing them to freely go into the run. This way they will know where home is.

This is my first batch but I plan on taking half out now but keeping my tiny silkies inside a little longer. They’re SO SMALL.

 

[3KillerBs]

1) for those who build their coop, what did you do for ventilation? This worries me the most.

I used a monitor roof for excellent ventilation kept above the birds' heads.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-little-monitor-coop.76275/

 

[Ridgerunner]

1) for those who build their coop, what did you do for ventilation? This worries me the most.

What have you done for ventilation? If you haven't done anything yet, what are you working with? It doesn't matter what I've done, my coop is certain to be totally different to yours. If we know what you are working with we can be of more help. So where are you in the process?

Roughly, where are you? It can help us give better information if we knw what your summers and winters will be like. If you modify your profile to show a general location that info will always be available and it can come in handy for a lot of different reasons, not just climate.

2) best bedding options to keep my pulletts warm? It’s suppose to snow Sunday and Monday but then shoot back up to the 40s during day and 30s at night.

At that age they should be fully feathered. If they were younger it changes. When they are sleeping on the roosts they are not in the bedding. Bedding is not what keeps them warm, their down and feathers manage that. What they need is decent ventilation and good breeze protection. If they have that they will be fine whether they are sleeping on wood shavings, wood chips, dirt, up on the roost well away from the bedding, or anything else.

Where bedding comes in handy is to keep things dry. Think of bedding as a diaper, it absorbs moisture. When they poop it wicks moisture away. So a good dry bedding can help with that. No matter what someone mentions as a possible bedding someone can find something to bad to say about it. Some typical things used as bedding in the coop are wood shavings, hay, straw, dried grass clippings, and shredded dried leaves. Some people turn their coop floor into a compost pile so you can find just about anything in there.

3) any tips or tricks to transferring chicks from the home to the coop?

I've had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20's Fahrenheit with no supplemental heat. Those chicks had great ventilation up high and great breeze protection down low where they were.

My chicks are raised in a brooder built into the coop. One end was kept toasty warm but the far end cooled off as it would. Some mornings I'd find ice in it. The chicks went into that brooder straight from the incubator or post office. As long as they have a spot warm enough in the coldest temperatures and a spot cool enough in the warmest conditions they are really good at keeping themselves comfortable. People are sometimes surprised at how much time they will spend in pretty cold temperatures before they go back to a warm spot to warm up. The point in all this is that mine were acclimated. Cold was not a stranger to them. If you can acclimate your chicks before they go out they are better off. If you can take them outside in cold weather and let them play. That could be in the coop or run. It could be in some type of baby bed or something like that where they can easily be caught. At that age they are quick and if they don't want to be caught you could have some challenges.

I like to move mine in the mornings of possible. That lets me check on them later in the day to see how they are doing.

In your weather I'd keep them locked in the coop only for a while, not allow them in the run. Let them get used to the coop being home before they have access to the run. They should have better breeze protection in there. Be patient, you don't have to rush things.

When you decide to give them access to the run just open the pop door and walk away. Or hang around and watch from a distance. Sometimes when I do this all of them are on the ground outside within 15 minutes. Sometimes it takes 3 days before they are all outside. It can be hilarious watching them go to the door, look out to see what is there, and then back off. Nope, not doing it. Not me. That's one of my favorite parts of chick TV.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

1) Everywhere light is coming in is a vent in addition to the ridge vent seen in the ceiling where the two sides of the roof deck come together.
There is also a pop door that is left open year round that was not cut in yet at the time this picture was taken.
View attachment 2503321

2) I use hemp bedding and have used pine shavings. About 4-6" to pad landings.

3) I would put them out in the coop with thick bedding and a huddle box with an old towel thrown over it so they can sleep in that until they are ready to roost.

Nice coop!

 

[Sally PB]

It can be hilarious watching them go to the door, look out to see what is there, and then back off. Nope, not doing it. Not me. That's one of my favorite parts of chick TV

Mine too. So great to watch them learn about the world.

OP, lots of great info here on BYC. If you have a specific question, post some pictures of what you have, and someone will know what will help.

 

[Nuts4FluffyButtsi]

1) for those who build their coop, what did you do for ventilation? This worries me the most.

What have you done for ventilation? If you haven't done anything yet, what are you working with? It doesn't matter what I've done, my coop is certain to be totally different to yours. If we know what you are working with we can be of more help. So where are you in the process?

Roughly, where are you? It can help us give better information if we knw what your summers and winters will be like. If you modify your profile to show a general location that info will always be available and it can come in handy for a lot of different reasons, not just climate.

2) best bedding options to keep my pulletts warm? It’s suppose to snow Sunday and Monday but then shoot back up to the 40s during day and 30s at night.

At that age they should be fully feathered. If they were younger it changes. When they are sleeping on the roosts they are not in the bedding. Bedding is not what keeps them warm, their down and feathers manage that. What they need is decent ventilation and good breeze protection. If they have that they will be fine whether they are sleeping on wood shavings, wood chips, dirt, up on the roost well away from the bedding, or anything else.

Where bedding comes in handy is to keep things dry. Think of bedding as a diaper, it absorbs moisture. When they poop it wicks moisture away. So a good dry bedding can help with that. No matter what someone mentions as a possible bedding someone can find something to bad to say about it. Some typical things used as bedding in the coop are wood shavings, hay, straw, dried grass clippings, and shredded dried leaves. Some people turn their coop floor into a compost pile so you can find just about anything in there.

3) any tips or tricks to transferring chicks from the home to the coop?

I've had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20's Fahrenheit with no supplemental heat. Those chicks had great ventilation up high and great breeze protection down low where they were.

My chicks are raised in a brooder built into the coop. One end was kept toasty warm but the far end cooled off as it would. Some mornings I'd find ice in it. The chicks went into that brooder straight from the incubator or post office. As long as they have a spot warm enough in the coldest temperatures and a spot cool enough in the warmest conditions they are really good at keeping themselves comfortable. People are sometimes surprised at how much time they will spend in pretty cold temperatures before they go back to a warm spot to warm up. The point in all this is that mine were acclimated. Cold was not a stranger to them. If you can acclimate your chicks before they go out they are better off. If you can take them outside in cold weather and let them play. That could be in the coop or run. It could be in some type of baby bed or something like that where they can easily be caught. At that age they are quick and if they don't want to be caught you could have some challenges.

I like to move mine in the mornings of possible. That lets me check on them later in the day to see how they are doing.

In your weather I'd keep them locked in the coop only for a while, not allow them in the run. Let them get used to the coop being home before they have access to the run. They should have better breeze protection in there. Be patient, you don't have to rush things.

When you decide to give them access to the run just open the pop door and walk away. Or hang around and watch from a distance. Sometimes when I do this all of them are on the ground outside within 15 minutes. Sometimes it takes 3 days before they are all outside. It can be hilarious watching them go to the door, look out to see what is there, and then back off. Nope, not doing it. Not me. That's one of my favorite parts of chick TV.

This was super helpful. So for my coop, I’m thinking most of the ventilation is coming from the roof so there’s that. And then as for weather, I’m in northern VA...so the weekend is colder than normal but overall it’s been pretty mild here in the 40s everyday....this weekend we’re looking at 30s during the day and 20s at night. Then mid week going back to upper 40s.

Maybe not all of the checks are ready but a good bunch of them are and refused to sayMaybe not all of the checks are ready but a good bunch of them are and refused to stay in their area lol I have themflying all over my sunroom

 

[Nuts4FluffyButtsi]

Oh! And then for bedding I think I’m going to stick with straw on the bottom until it warms up and then put some pine shavings on top