Enclosures for Chicks

[booboochickens]

Hi, I am new to chick-raising and wondered if you could give me some advice? I have a chicken coop that is the size of double bedroom surrounded by chicken wire but I'm not sure it's perfectly secure in all places. Inside the chicken coop is a kennel that I've turned into a hen house and has accommodated my adult hens perfectly well this past year. I have three new chicks and I have closed off the hen house since they were born so that mother and babes are secure and safe. I've let the other adult hen out of the coop altogether and let her free range.

I was wondering at what age/stage you'd allow the chicks and mum to go outside the hen house? I'd have to fashion some kind of ramp to get them in and out of it as otherwise they wouldn't be able to enter on their own. Would you wait until they were big enough to do this themselves? Are they all ok in a hen house until that time? As you might imagine it's big enough to accommodate a dog....

 

[BantamFan4Life]

I usually put chicks in the coop at about 3 months.

 

[donrae]

You're talking about letting them from the "coop" to the run? Do it as soon as they're off the nest, 2-3 days old. No reason they need to stay in a house, they can be out scratching around in the run. Even in freezing weather! Momma will warm them up when they need it, and they're way more cold tolerant than you'd think. Around 1-2 weeks of age, I'd let the other hen back in and let her get to know the babies. Momma won't let her hurt the babies, and the babies will grow up knowing flock manners.

Congrats on your chicks--watching a momma raise chicks is the best part of keeping birds, imo.

 

[booboochickens]

You're talking about letting them from the "coop" to the run? Do it as soon as they're off the nest, 2-3 days old. No reason they need to stay in a house, they can be out scratching around in the run. Even in freezing weather! Momma will warm them up when they need it, and they're way more cold tolerant than you'd think. Around 1-2 weeks of age, I'd let the other hen back in and let her get to know the babies. Momma won't let her hurt the babies, and the babies will grow up knowing flock manners.

Congrats on your chicks--watching a momma raise chicks is the best part of keeping birds, imo.

Yes to the run (sorry, new to all the terminology I guess!) I'm worried actually about letting them out of the hen house (or coop?) because baby #4 escaped the "run" within an hour so I'd rather they were bigger - I hope that's ok? Also I don't think they're big enough to get up a ramp to get into the hen house.

Thanks for the advice re: Adult Chicken #2. That's really helpful!

There's a lot to learn and appreciate all the advice! My 4yo has named the new 4 chicks: Scooby Doo Boo Boo Chicken, Shaggy Boo Boo Chicken, Daphne and Thelma Boo Boo Chicken respectively (they are all from the Boo-boo Chicken Family).