Hello!

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CindyinSD said:
Welcome!

You can (and should) move them to their coop now. They'll love the increased freedom and opportunity to stretch their growing bodies and just be chickens. 🥰

Make sure they have a roost low enough for them to hop up on when they start wanting to roost. I find mine enjoy a smallish cardboard box, upside-down with a little door cut in an end and a side. (Unless their sleeping area is too small for that.) You may have to put them in the box for a few nights.

Your current temps aren't a problem, nor would temps down in the 30s be hard for them. Wind and excessive damp are worse enemies. Make sure they have good venting in the eaves and/or gable ends. If not, cut some holes & staple on hardware cloth.

Also keep a good eye out on hot days & the temps inside the coop (which may be hotter than outdoors). They need shade and constant access to cool, fresh water. (But again, your current temps don't sound problematic.) Some pics of your coop/run would be great.

I may be mistaken, but the barred (black & white speckled) one top right in the second photo strikes me as a boy. Large, red comb, compared to the rest. Males mature faster in the size & color of the comb/wattles.
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Thank you for your much needed feedback! It’s so great to have a whole community out there available and filled with such awesome knowledge! I have my run being delivered tomorrow. Built the coop this last weekend! I guess the girls (perhaps a rooster too) will be moving into their new digs this weekend! I have been seriously wondering about my Coco Belle as well! I was told they were all pullets at the time I bought them. Oh well, we shall see! But I agree, it sure looks like a boy!! Thanks so much again!!🤗
 
alaska chix mom said:
Hi Kris,
Congrats on your first flock! It’s like an addition to the family, this chicken keeping thing. Your birds will remain healthy and productive for at least three years, with a little bit of sensible care.
Their coop should have a vent, or hole up high, near the roofline, to let excess moisture escape. That will help keep the coop dry.
Adding a heater is not recommended, when it goes out, they are unable to adapt quickly to the cold. Here in Alaska, my coop is double walled, with a moisture barrier and vented. The roosts are wide, so they don’t Get frostbit toes, the feathers protect. My birds have been hutched up in 20 below weather for days on end. Egg collecting needs to be done more often, and the water may freeze without a water heater... but they lay fine in the cold!
I hang a head of cabbage for them to peck, or try beat the boredom with fresh veg and treats from the kitchen.
Just keep them dry...and feed them well, they will thank you themselves!🐥
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Thank you so very much for your kind feedback! These are exciting times! I think one of my hens might even be a little rooster! Joy!!
 
Kris, roos need love too! :love
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