Food changes and transition to coop questions

[dbounds10]

My 9 babies are 18-22 ish days old. I would like to get these poop machines out of my craft room soon! Texas weather at the moment anywhere from 90-60 days and 40-50 nights. They are brooding inside and started with a heat plate and a hanging radiant heater. I removed the heat plate a few days ago because it was as high as it would go and they didn’t use it. Most nights they don’t sleep under the other one either. My coop is 8x8 and the run is huge. My plan was to move them to the coop around April 15 making them about 4 weeks old. I added some pics of my coop, run (the small coop you see in the run pic will be closed off for quarantine or chicken hospital) and the puppy pen they use for day trips outside. That is what I would use to section off the coop if you guys think I should. Here are my questions.

1. When do I change them from medicated starter to a grower feed? They have not been exposed to the run that my last flock lived in so they are fairly sheltered from outside “germs” so to speak
2. When I move them to the coop, should I section it off so they don’t have too much room? And should a heat source be provided? I plan to leave them locked in there for a week or so for them to get used to their new house before letting them out to the run.
3. Once I do let them in the run, how in the world to I get them to go back inside without having to chase them all over high heaven in that huge run.
4. Using deep bedding how do you handle food and water stations that they don’t get kicked over since they are to small to reach hanging feeders and obviously need clean water
5. Any other advice for getting these poop machines safely out of my house and into the new coop?

 

[rosemarythyme]

1. Because they haven't been outside at all and I assume you haven't brought the outside in (like pans of dirt) I would keep them on medicated until they've been out at least a few weeks. No definite proof other than going by what others here have experienced, but it seems that chicks that are exposed to the outdoors early build up immunity to coccidiosis more easily than ones that aren't, so because your chicks don't have that immunity there is a possibility that coccidiosis will hit them harder after being out a few weeks. Hope that makes sense.

2. I would have them fully weaned off heat first (extremely doable in your warm temps), then there'll be no reason to provide heat in the coop. You could consider sectioning off half the coop on the first day, but I have 2 week olds freely roaming 525 sq ft and never had a bird get lost, so I don't really think 4 week olds would have a problem in an 8x8 area.

3. To home them to the coop, I would keep them locked in the coop only for 1-2 weeks. Once they have run access, their instincts will tell them to return "home" at sunset.

4. They're not too small to reach hanging feeders/waterers. You just need to give them a boost. I have feeders on bricks, on overturned pots, etc. Chicks can still reach in. My waterer sits on a 5 gal bucket - I used concrete blocks and bricks to build steps. The chick pictured drinking here was under 4 weeks old.

5. Just work on getting them fully weaned off heat indoors before moving them out. Given your temperatures I anticipate they won't want heat indoors by 3 weeks or so.

 

[Happy hen lover]

My 9 babies are 18-22 ish days old. I would like to get these poop machines out of my craft room soon! Texas weather at the moment anywhere from 90-60 days and 40-50 nights. They are brooding inside and started with a heat plate and a hanging radiant heater. I removed the heat plate a few days ago because it was as high as it would go and they didn’t use it. Most nights they don’t sleep under the other one either. My coop is 8x8 and the run is huge. My plan was to move them to the coop around April 15 making them about 4 weeks old. I added some pics of my coop, run (the small coop you see in the run pic will be closed off for quarantine or chicken hospital) and the puppy pen they use for day trips outside. That is what I would use to section off the coop if you guys think I should. Here are my questions.

1. When do I change them from medicated starter to a grower feed? They have not been exposed to the run that my last flock lived in so they are fairly sheltered from outside “germs” so to speak

I would slowly transition to grower feed as they still need that high protein and I'm assuming not medicated? Until my chicks were exposed to outside dirt in run I kept them on medicated feed. Just a personal choice.

2. When I move them to the coop, should I section it off so they don’t have too much room? And should a heat source be provided? I plan to leave them locked in there for a week or so for them to get used to their new house before letting them out to the run.

I'm glad to hear you're planning to keep in coop for a week or 2. Yes keep some heat source till they are fully feathered ( even on head and neck)

3. Once I do let them in the run, how in the world to I get them to go back inside without having to chase them all over high heaven in that huge run.

Yes section them off cause you're more than likely going to have to round them up to put in at dusk, I hated that part! I had to bodily place them on roost second go round. It helps to have a " nightlight" since the coop is dark and they they DON'T see well in dark.

4. Using deep bedding how do you handle food and water stations that they don’t get kicked over since they are to small to reach hanging feeders and obviously need clean water

I hung food on a variable chain thing so it was at neck height. I even added a block for them to jump up to ( that keeps food clean). Same with water I made a 2 stage step up to waterer to keep it cleaner.

5. Any other advice for getting these poop machines safely out of my house and into the new coop?

It sounds like nice enough weather, that's helpful. I would give chick grit to them. Work with them to make sure they see you as the food giver. Feed treats while talking softly to them. I used small bits of scrambled egg or wettened chick feed and made them get used to me. This is the best time to get that done it will really help when you need to inspect them as adults. Remember go in at their level don't swoop down from above as predators do. Good luck.

 

[dbounds10]

1. Because they haven't been outside at all and I assume you haven't brought the outside in (like pans of dirt) I would keep them on medicated until they've been out at least a few weeks. No definite proof other than going by what others here have experienced, but it seems that chicks that are exposed to the outdoors early build up immunity to coccidiosis more easily than ones that aren't, so because your chicks don't have that immunity there is a possibility that coccidiosis will hit them harder after being out a few weeks. Hope that makes sense.

2. I would have them fully weaned off heat first (extremely doable in your warm temps), then there'll be no reason to provide heat in the coop. You could consider sectioning off half the coop on the first day, but I have 2 week olds freely roaming 525 sq ft and never had a bird get lost, so I don't really think 4 week olds would have a problem in an 8x8 area.

3. To home them to the coop, I would keep them locked in the coop only for 1-2 weeks. Once they have run access, their instincts will tell them to return "home" at sunset.

4. They're not too small to reach hanging feeders/waterers. You just need to give them a boost. I have feeders on bricks, on overturned pots, etc. Chicks can still reach in. My waterer sits on a 5 gal bucket - I used concrete blocks and bricks to build steps. The chick pictured drinking here was under 4 weeks old.

View attachment 3454754

5. Just work on getting them fully weaned off heat indoors before moving them out. Given your temperatures I anticipate they won't want heat indoors by 3 weeks or so.

Thanks for the info! I have brought in some dirt once and they went outside for the first time today, just not in the run that the last flock lived in. I will start getting them outside for field trips as much as I can and bring in some dirt also. How long after they have been out should I change over the feed? A couple weeks?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thanks for the info! I have brought in some dirt once and they went outside for the first time today, just not in the run that the last flock lived in. I will start getting them outside for field trips as much as I can and bring in some dirt also. How long after they have been out should I change over the feed? A couple weeks?

I would wait at least a few weeks after they move out as it takes about 2-3 weeks to develop issues with coccidiosis after exposure, so you're mainly looking to help get them through that period.

That said, I myself don't use medicated feed, but I keep Corid on hand just in case. I have not needed to treat for coccidiosis since my first batch of chicks (brooded indoors) - subsequent chicks have all been raised outside.

 

[Ridgerunner]

1. When do I change them from medicated starter to a grower feed? They have not been exposed to the run that my last flock lived in so they are fairly sheltered from outside “germs” so to speak

I'll copy something I wrote about medicated feed and Coccidiosis, hopefully it can help you make an educated decision.

Some of my conclusions, assuming the medicine in your medicated feed is Amprolium:

1. Medicated feed does no good until the chicks have been exposed to the bug that causes Coccidiosis. Zip, nada, zilch. No benefit whatsoever. However it does not hurt.

2. After two to three weeks of exposure to that bug chickens develop an immunity to that strain of bug. The best way to expose them to that bug is dirt from the run where the other chickens are.

3. If you can keep the brooder, coop, and run dry you very seldom have a problem with Coccidiosis. Very seldom does not mean never.

Now for some of the details.

First you need to know what the "medicated" is in the medicated feed. It should be on the label. Usually it is Amprolium, Amprol, some such product, but until you read the label, you really don't know. Most "medicated' feed from major brands for chicks that will be layers uses Amprolium, but there are a few out there mostly for broilers, that use other medicines. I'll assume yours is an Amprolium product, but if it is not, then realize everything I say about it may not apply. And it is possible that the "medicated" is Amprolium AND something else.

Amprolium is not an antibiotic. It does not kill anything. It inhibits the protozoa that cause coccidiosis (often called Cocci on this forum) from multiplying in the chicken's system. It does not prevent the protozoa from multiplying; it just slows that multiplication down. There are several different strains of protozoa that can cause Cocci, some more severe than others. Chickens can develop immunity to a specific strain of the protozoa, but that does not give them immunity to all protozoa that cause Cocci.

It is not a big deal for the chicken’s intestines to contain some of the protozoa that cause Cocci. The problem comes in when the number of those protozoa gets huge. The protozoa can multiply in the chicken’s intestines but also in wet manure. For them to reproduce they need some moisture. Slightly damp isn't an issue, soaking wet is. Different protozoa strains have different strengths, but for almost all cases, if you keep the brooder dry, you will not have a problem.

To develop immunity to a specific strain, that protozoa needs to be in the chicks intestines for two or three weeks. The normal sequence is that a chick has the protozoa. It poops and some of the cysts that develop the protozoa come out in the poop. If the poop is slightly damp, those cysts develop and will then develop in the chick's intestines when the chicks eat that poop. This cycle needs go on for a few weeks so all chicks are exposed and they are exposed long enough to develop immunity. A couple of important points here. You do need to watch them to see if they are getting sick. And the key is to keep the brooder dry yet allow some of the poop to stay damp. Not soaking wet, just barely damp. Wet poop can lead to serious problems.

What sometimes happens is that people keep chicks in a brooder and feed them medicated feed while they are in the brooder. Those chicks are never exposed to the Cocci protozoa that lives in the dirt in their run, so they never develop the immunity to it. Then, they are switched to non-medicated feed and put on the ground where they are for the first time exposed to the protozoa. They do not have immunity, they do not have the protection of the medicated feed, so they get sick. Feeding medicated feed while in the brooder was a complete waste.

I do not feed medicated feed. I keep the brooder dry to not allow the protozoa to breed uncontrollably. The third day that they are in the brooder, I take a scoop of dirt from the run and feed it to them so I can introduce the protozoa and they can develop the immunity they need to the strain they need to develop an immunity to. Since I keep my brooder extremely dry and the water clean the protozoa can't reproduce so every three days I give them more dirt from the run so they get more protozoa and can develop immunity. I don't lose chicks to Cocci when they hit the ground.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with feeding medicated feed to chicks, whether the protozoa are present or not. It will not hurt them. They can still develop the immunity they need. But unless the protozoa are present, it also does no good.

If you get your chicks vaccinated for Cocci, do not feed medicated feed. It can negate the vaccinations.

 

[Ridgerunner]

They are 3 weeks old but you don't plan on moving them outside until they are 4 weeks old. You have had chickens in the past but do not have any other chickens right now so integration is not an issue.

2. When I move them to the coop, should I section it off so they don’t have too much room?
And should a heat source be provided?

At that age in those temperatures they will not need a heat source out there, even at night. As long as you can provide one safely it will not hurt but I don't consider it necessary. I see no reason to section off any part of that 8x8 coop. They can easily find the food and water. I just don't see a reason.

If you can provide a heat source they can go out today. My brooder is in the coop. I put the chicks in it straight from the incubator.

I plan to leave them locked in there for a week or so for them to get used to their new house before letting them out to the run.

Excellent idea. Just because you leave them locked in the coop only for one or two weeks does not mean they will always return there at night but there is a pretty good chance they will. Mine often do not, but I think that's because mine is elevated. They tend to go to sleep under the pop door instead of going inside. Mine are usually around 6 weeks old when I try that.

Once I do let them in the run, how in the world to I get them to go back inside without having to chase them all over high heaven in that huge run.

The only time I want to put them in the coop is to sleep at night. If they don't go in on their own I wait until it is dark and lock them inside, they are usually pretty easy to pick up when it is dark. This trains them to put themselves to sleep inside eventually.

If you want them to go in during the day, train them to come to you. Use a specific container to rattle a special treat as you chant "Here, chicky chicky" or something like that as you give them that special treat. Be consistent, always use that container and always give them a bit, doesn't take much. Before long they will come running whenever they see or hear that container rattling or hear that chant.

4. Using deep bedding how do you handle food and water stations that they don’t get kicked over since they are to small to reach hanging feeders and obviously need clean water

Others have answered that.

5. Any other advice for getting these poop machines safely out of my house and into the new coop?

Don't be afraid to try something but observe and trust what you see. Trust your judgment.

 

[UnderwoodTR]

1. Because they haven't been outside at all and I assume you haven't brought the outside in (like pans of dirt) I would keep them on medicated until they've been out at least a few weeks. No definite proof other than going by what others here have experienced, but it seems that chicks that are exposed to the outdoors early build up immunity to coccidiosis more easily than ones that aren't, so because your chicks don't have that immunity there is a possibility that coccidiosis will hit them harder after being out a few weeks. Hope that makes sense.

2. I would have them fully weaned off heat first (extremely doable in your warm temps), then there'll be no reason to provide heat in the coop. You could consider sectioning off half the coop on the first day, but I have 2 week olds freely roaming 525 sq ft and never had a bird get lost, so I don't really think 4 week olds would have a problem in an 8x8 area.

3. To home them to the coop, I would keep them locked in the coop only for 1-2 weeks. Once they have run access, their instincts will tell them to return "home" at sunset.

4. They're not too small to reach hanging feeders/waterers. You just need to give them a boost. I have feeders on bricks, on overturned pots, etc. Chicks can still reach in. My waterer sits on a 5 gal bucket - I used concrete blocks and bricks to build steps. The chick pictured drinking here was under 4 weeks old.

View attachment 3454754

5. Just work on getting them fully weaned off heat indoors before moving them out. Given your temperatures I anticipate they won't want heat indoors by 3 weeks or so.

Can you tell me how you made that waterer! Or bought it? It's great... I bought one from the store... the trough at the bottom kind and it is so difficult to manage.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Can you tell me how you made that waterer! Or bought it? It's great... I bought one from the store... the trough at the bottom kind and it is so difficult to manage.

It's store bought, and I left a lengthy review discussing pros and cons: https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/premier-1-heated-poultry-waterer.11903/