~ Greetings All... Brand New, Want Advice On Coop & Run Plz...????

RedWrangler

In the Brooder
Mar 27, 2016
9
0
32
Hey All... I am Newer than New @ this;) I picked up 6 VERY Active & healthy RIR Pullets 5 days ago.. They all all settled in with their inside & outside brooder boxes, w/ roosts that they are Already using, & not just for a pillow...(lol). I am working on converting a 10x10x10' tarp'd green house into the coop. It'll have a dirt floor, 3/4 plywood all the way around, going 1' into the ground. rest of the way up will be hardware cloth with a layer of window screen for good air flow in the Fla. heat. Roof will be translucent roofing sheet. Doing 3 nesting boxes about 1' off the ground, opposite side of the small door leading to the run. Some bells & whistles to be added..(lol) ***QUESTION IS***... *RUN SIZE*... I *Want* to do it 5x12' off the N side of the coop...*** WILL THAT BE ENOUGH SPACE FOR 6 HENS..???*** Run will be 4x4's for foundation, 2x4 stud for walls/roof, Reg.Chicken Wire with layer of window screen to enclose. No real danger during the day, My mastiff already baby sits the chicks...(lol) We do have black snakes every now & then & my neighbor *Had*, a mouse problem 2 yrs ago... ANY Advice on the entire thing is GREATLY Appreciated & Welcomed.... Ty, GOD Bless.. :)
 
~Ty... good to know. I will be sure to remove the feed @ night, and since it's a dirt floor I was planning on raking it well before the girls settled in for the night. This should also keep it clean of poop I'm thinking... I just read on the *Chicken Chick* site, that fresh herbs are a natural deterant to pests and insects, guess it's worth a try since I already grow basil, mint, lavender, and sage.. My chicks are 8 days old and have full wing feathers, 1/2" tail's, & a few back feathers. They are DEF. a hand full as of yet, but fun to watch. I already have one that runs over & jumps to be picked up when she see's me in the am...(lol)
 
The general rule of thumb is 90 degrees for the first week, and 5 degrees less each following week. Keep chick's well sheltered, I keep in a large plastic tub, and DRY I just lost almost 25 chick's because somehow they got water all over them. I asked around and now use a quail waterer until they get bigger.
You might check out the mama heating pad brooder. It is what I use now, after the water incident, I get the thread.
 
The general rule of thumb is 90 degrees for the first week, and 5 degrees less each following week. Keep chick's well sheltered, I keep in a large plastic tub, and DRY I just lost almost 25 chick's because somehow they got water all over them. I asked around and now use a quail waterer until they get bigger.
You might check out the mama heating pad brooder. It is what I use now, after the water incident, I get the thread.
~ sorry to hear about your losses, if any... I know the general temp guides, I really judge temp by how my girls are acting. They are the best tell. I do not want to kill them or make them sick, thats why i was wondering about the warm breeze. They do not seem to mind unless it's a hard wind, then they look shocked. They like it around 80-85 atm, with some liking it warmer, some like it 80..
 
It is ok, I have tried to fix the problems and am getting more soon. Yes I bet too hard of a gust would be a shock but as long as most of the time it is just a warm breeze they should be fine
 
~ Ty... I made a 6' octagon pen outside w/ weed blocking cloth & they LOVE IT....(Lol) Now when they see me in the am, they try to jump out the night bin. They know they are going out...(Lol) Now I have one with a 1/2" piece of pine shaving stuck to her chest, she must have layed on poop in the night box. tried to get it off w/ a warm wet rag w/ no luck. I am hoping it falls off it the next day or 2. I'm trying now to find out if i can hold her over a bowl of warm water to soak her chest to get it off or not..?? You Live You Lean, I guess....
 

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