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DobieLover said:
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
Do you have any pictures of your coop in progress you'd like to share?
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Don't have any progress pics but this is our very neglected shed before we started. All the siding has been replaced and the interior split in half so that back part is the coop and the front is for storage and stuff. Next week we're going to attach the run off of the side of it.
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Welcome to BYC!! That shed is going to make a great coop! Where are you located? Lots of people might disagree that you have to wait over 2 months before putting chicks out to the coop. In fact, you can brood them right inside the coop! I strongly believe that would be the best way to make sure everyone gets along. The chicks would of course have to be protected from the larger hen for a while, but since she's a polish, if you wait too long to introduce she could still end up getting picked on. But if the chicks see her as their mentor, she might just stay at the top. I brooded 3 chicks using a Mama Heating Pad instead of a heat lamp and moved them to the coop at 2 weeks old. Best thing ever! They were fully integrated with my 2 older birds by 5 weeks old.

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Can you see the divider below the poop tray here? That was their brooder and safe place... they could leave at any time but the big hens couldn't get inside. I switched from my original hardware cloth divider to this picket fence at about 4 weeks. Nighttime temps were about 40-50s F and days 60-70s F. The MHP was still available but they were fully feathered by then and were done with supplemental heat. Too much heat for too long makes chicks slow to feather out, and delays their natural acclimation.

Here are some wonderful articles if you're interested in learning more:
You Certainly Can Brood Chicks Outdoors
Integrating at 4 weeks old
Coop Brooder and Integration
Kick The Heat Lamp: Better, Safer And Healthier Options To Heat Your Brooder
Start Raising Your Chicks Outdoors
Pseudo-Brooder Heater Plate

Best wishes in your new chicken adventure!
 
SpaceLamb said:
Don't have any progress pics but this is our very neglected shed before we started. All the siding has been replaced and the interior split in half so that back part is the coop and the front is for storage and stuff. Next week we're going to attach the run off of the side of it.View attachment 1692876
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Nice! I'm doing a shed to coop conversion myself this month! Looking forward to seeing your finished project on your coop page!
 
FlappyFeathers said:
View attachment 1692944 Welcome to BYC!! That shed is going to make a great coop! Where are you located? Lots of people might disagree that you have to wait over 2 months before putting chicks out to the coop. In fact, you can brood them right inside the coop! I strongly believe that would be the best way to make sure everyone gets along. The chicks would of course have to be protected from the larger hen for a while, but since she's a polish, if you wait too long to introduce she could still end up getting picked on. But if the chicks see her as their mentor, she might just stay at the top. I brooded 3 chicks using a Mama Heating Pad instead of a heat lamp and moved them to the coop at 2 weeks old. Best thing ever! They were fully integrated with my 2 older birds by 5 weeks old.

View attachment 1692940
Can you see the divider below the poop tray here? That was their brooder and safe place... they could leave at any time but the big hens couldn't get inside. I switched from my original hardware cloth divider to this picket fence at about 4 weeks. Nighttime temps were about 40-50s F and days 60-70s F. The MHP was still available but they were fully feathered by then and were done with supplemental heat. Too much heat for too long makes chicks slow to feather out, and delays their natural acclimation.

Here are some wonderful articles if you're interested in learning more:
You Certainly Can Brood Chicks Outdoors
Integrating at 4 weeks old
Coop Brooder and Integration
Kick The Heat Lamp: Better, Safer And Healthier Options To Heat Your Brooder
Start Raising Your Chicks Outdoors
Pseudo-Brooder Heater Plate

Best wishes in your new chicken adventure!
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for the information! We're located near Houston, Texas. I think we planned on letting them interact and see each other prior to the chicks permanently being outside but having them outside is definitely something we'll consider because everybody getting along is super important.
 

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