Dog crate temporary "coop" for new chickens -- advice, feedback?

[EMcD]

We have 3 hens just over a year old, and 3 nearly 12 week old pullets. We need to get them outside full time, but from what I've read here, it may be a little too soon to trust our older hens with them in the existing coop. (To be honest, DH still has to put up some additional roost space for them in there anyway.)

He made a run "extension" that's still stand alone (that we use like a tractor to keep the "chicks" out during the day). It's made with hardware cloth on the sides, chicken wire on the top (to keep out the hawks), and an electrical conduit tube frame. The chicks are outside in that all day, but they're back inside at night. It's finally consistently more temperate at night (we had a freak frost last week) and I'd like to get them outside.

I'm thinking of taking a dog crate (the plastic kind with the wire door) and putting it in this pen. I think I'll have to cover it with a tarp or something to keep rain out (it has "slats" open at the top). Then they'll have this as their adjustment coop, before they're in the regular coop with the others.

Any ideas or suggestions? Or other ideas? Our coop/run isn't really set up to allow a "coop within a coop" the way I've seen some do it for new additions.

They've seen each other through the wire for weeks now and have had limited time free ranging together. Sometimes the older girls go after them a little, but mostly the younger ones stay away.

I know they have to settle the pecking order, I just want to avoid (as much as possible) any more serious attacks if we can.

 

[questions543]

Introducin chickens can be frustrating... I have done it multiple times and found the best way to do it with chicks/small young birds is to do it REALLY slowly. I like the idea of them being in a makeshift dog crate as long as the older chickens can interact through the wire. Depending on how the older birds react you go to step two.

 

[EMcD]

Thanks.

Well, after posting this, I'm even more convinced we need to do it. During some of the joint free ranging today, the alpha hen really went after the younger ones.

So definitely more time near but not "with" the others. I hope they can adjust. We thought being near them for weeks would be enough.

I'm hoping someone can give me tips on the dog crate idea, or some other "temporary coop." We can't buy another whole coop.

I'm starting to think though that we need a much bigger coop for when they are integrated!