HELP, please. Concrete floor with topsoil as litter? No roof on end of coop ok??

[Corn Pone Princess]

In FL you might not need much added shelter at all.
How old are the chick(en) you have now?
Only time till tell.
Don't panic...it'll be alright.
You've got good secure shelter now, you can add stuff as time goes on.

Five that are 5 and 1/2 weeks and two that are almost 4 weeks old.
We were thinking about putting up these long drapes with weights on ends in the back corner. Put the boxes and roosts there. Open curtains during the day if warm

 

[wyoDreamer]

Don't worry about your chickens being too cold once they are fully feathered. Mine are fine at -20 or less if they can get out of the wind. You should be fine for cold.

I would worry more about the heat, and I think you have that taken care of with the openness of your space.

The chickens will poop every morning when they wake up, the area under the roosts will be the dirtiest. If you put poop boards under your roosts, you can just scrape their morning and night poos into a pail and take it to your compost site.

You will need to have bedding down on the concrete - even if it is just around the area of the roosts. Chickens will need the padding for when they jump down from the roost. One of the problems with my current coop is that there isn't enough room for the chickens to land when they flap down from the roost. If you sprinkle BOSS (Black Oil Sunflower Seed) on their bedding, they will keep it fluffed up so it will stay dry and not stink so much.

 

[aart]

Five that are 5 and 1/2 weeks and two that are almost 4 weeks old.
We were thinking about putting up these long drapes with weights on ends in the back corner. Put the boxes and roosts there. Open curtains during the day if warm

I don't think you need curtains. Just a cardboard box would work for now.
Are they in a brooder now?
Are they off any heat?
Can you just move the whole brooder out to the coop/run?

I would worry more about the heat, and I think you have that taken care of with the openness of your space.

Yes. Hard to know how hot it will get under the metal roof.

 

[Corn Pone Princess]

We plan on letting them free range in our yard that's fenced in by our home and there's a nice cool dirt area under the porch they love laying under, for really hot days and heat waves. Also will spray down the roof and maybe get a mister.

 

[wyoDreamer]

I would keep that storage area separate and use it as storage. I wish I had a place to put the feed bins, extra watereres and feeders, the oyster-shell and grit bags, the blue-kote and meds that I know I will eventually be getting for the birds.

 

[aart]

We plan on letting them free range in our yard that's fenced in by our home and there's a nice cool dirt area under the porch they love laying under, for really hot days and heat waves. Also will spray down the roof and maybe get a mister.

Mister might not do much good in a humid environment.

I'll just pop this in here:
Deep all day shade is best but....

I give a dose of Sav-a-Chick electrolytes/vitamins about once a week during heat waves.
It really seems to help....started this after they saved a heat stroked hen once.
Can mix up a smaller amount, just wrap the packet tight and store in a dry cool place.
Always have plain water available too.

BIG(9x14x2") chunks of ice last all day for wading, sitting, and sipping.
Much more useful to the chickens than frozen foods and treats.

Make space in your freezer!

 

[Corn Pone Princess]

Mister might not do much good in a humid environment.

I'll just pop this in here:
Deep all day shade is best but....

I give a dose of Sav-a-Chick electrolytes/vitamins about once a week during heat waves.
It really seems to help....started this after they saved a heat stroked hen once.
Can mix up a smaller amount, just wrap the packet tight and store in a dry cool place.
Always have plain water available too.

BIG(9x14x2") chunks of ice last all day for wading, sitting, and sipping.
Much more useful to the chickens than frozen foods and treats.

Make space in your freezer!

I LOVE your ideas!! Thanks so much for helping and for the pix!

Idk what I'd do without help lol

 

[Corn Pone Princess]

I would keep that storage area separate and use it as storage. I wish I had a place to put the feed bins, extra watereres and feeders, the oyster-shell and grit bags, the blue-kote and meds that I know I will eventually be getting for the birds.

Can all those items be kept outside in a shed in the Florida summer heat? I figured I'd have to keep the fed inside at the back door some place. But, idk

 

[aart]

Can all those items be kept outside in a shed in the Florida summer heat? I figured I'd have to keep the fed inside at the back door some place. But, idk

Feed should be fine, especially if it's not on the rain or sun.
Use a metal garbage can to keep rodents out.
Meds and such best be kept in the house.

 

[aart]

I LOVE your ideas!! Thanks so much for helping and for the pix!

Idk what I'd do without help lol

That's what forums are for-um.