Holy Crap! The girls are going to go outside!!??

[Thancock760]

So, I posted last week about moving the girls outside because the weather fully supports brooding outside. (4 weeks now) We have our coop and run up as of today. We spent some time this evening fortifying the coop. I am adding hardware fabric from the bottom up at least 4 feet and then making an apron. We didn't finish the bottom mesh layer and apron tonight. Will work on it this week. But, I feel like a new mama!!! I am so scared to actually make the transition!! I put down bed shredding- it is what they have been raised with so far. They can stay in the coop several days until they are used to that and then move around the run (10x10). Am I the only goofy girl worried about letting their babies go outside?? We are rural, but in a "neighborhood" of sorts. The neighbor said he has been here 20 years an only seen a garden snake. Hasn't had a fox or anything around. I am scared to screw this up!! I have so many questions!!!!

How do I know when to clean the shredded bedding?
How do I clean the bedding? Do I pick out poop? What do I do?? I bought a little shrub rake...
Do I rake poop out of he run? How often?
Do I put food both inside and outside the coop for them?
Am I missing anything????

They are not outside tonight, I brought them in after they had a chance to snoop around their run and coop. They loved it, but I am not comfortable leaving them out until the hardware mesh is all in place.

Any info is helpful! I am a crazy California transplant and high anxiety and want to make sure they are all going to be ok!! Ha....

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Do not worry, you are not crazy. At least not the only one!
The first night I had mine out, I checked on them every hour all night. Still do, when is gets dark and do a head count and make sure they are all ok.

 

[Thancock760]

Do not worry, you are not crazy. At least not the only one!
The first night I had mine out, I checked on them every hour all night. Still do, when is gets dark and do a head count and make sure they are all ok.

Haha, thank you! I don’t feel so crazy now!!

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

Chickens belong outside. They'll love being there once they get used to it.

Here's my article on Deep Bedding in the coop: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-deep-bedding-in-a-small-coop.76343/

And a discussion on Deep Litter in the run: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-deep-litter-in-your-run-and-or-coop.1483848/

There are many different ways to manage manure and they all work depending on circumstances and climate.

 

[Callender Girl]

You're not at all crazy, and good call on waiting until the hardware cloth is installed. I am a nervous wreck every time I put new babies outdoors.

I clean bedding when it looks dirty and/or is attracting too many flies to the coops. I have an arsenal of weapons, including a cat litter scoop, a small broom and dustpan, and a metal spatula -- depending on how much and how messy the coop is.

I feed my girls to get everyone back into the coops at night, and it's a light meal so there's rarely any leftover feed inside. I do keep water in the coops all the time; I guess I'm projecting the idea that I sometimes like to get a drink at night, maybe they do. (Now, which one of us is crazy?).

Good luck with yours!

 

[Thancock760]

Welcome to BYC.

Chickens belong outside. They'll love being there once they get used to it.

Here's my article on Deep Bedding in the coop: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-deep-bedding-in-a-small-coop.76343/

And a discussion on Deep Litter in the run: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-deep-litter-in-your-run-and-or-coop.1483848/

There are many different ways to manage manure and they all work depending on circumstances and climate.

Super helpful reading!!! Thank you!