How young is too young?

[Se7en]

I too have to keep reminding myself “coops” are different. Mine is about 96sq feet of floor space, plus roosts and whatnot. I keep food and water in the coop, all the time. Some people are dealing with the little chicken tractors, where it may be more difficult to keep food/water in there, even if you want to.

If they have access to water in the run just before bed time and first thing in the morning, and PROPER ventilation in the coop, they should be fine overnight. Birds don’t really come down off the roosts to drink in the middle of the night. Nor will the water be any cooler than ambient temperature after a couple hours.

 

[Se7en]

Our coops are off the ground with lots of windows and shutters due to hurricane threats here. The runs are on the ground surrounded with poultry cloth all over and hard, solid roofing. I still worry about snakes getting in the run but not the coop. I constantly check on them during the day to make sure they are doing well. They seem happy and the older hens come to watch them through the run but are unable to get to them. I feel like if I lock the coop door at night they will be fine. I will leave water in the coop at night and remove in the morning to be sure they are hydrated. Thank you for your advice.

 

[BonnieBlue]

Hi, I am also in south Louisiana. Tomorrow my chicks will be two weeks old, and they will be moving to the coop. They are currently in my garage (door open during the day), and even with a fan, it is a fight to keep temps near outside temps.

I have spent the last few days reinforcing my coop against predators (primarily snakes and rats), and adding ventilation. I found a small weather resistant vent fan (approx 5 inches square) that I put in one end to pull hot air out, made a mesh wire on frame door to the run to use instead of the solid door for ventilation, and when the chicks make the move, will put the fan they have now, near the outside of the new run door to give them a breeze in that part of the coop to cool down from the excessive humidity. Just a few ideas for maybe how to help them that I have run across the past few days.

 

[BonnieBlue]

One thing I forgot to add:

On the side of the coop that gets sun, and not under the run roof, I strapped a piece of heat reflecting foam insulation to the roof, so that the roof does not absorb the heat of the sun. (The ridge vents are not covered.) So far, I am keeping the coop even with outdoor temps. I am hoping another fan can get it a couple of degrees below. At the very least, it will not be as humid in the coop.

 

[Se7en]

Does you coop part have enough ventilation?
Can you post a picture of it?
Is the run rat proof with 1/2" hardware cloth?

I'll try to get a picture but our coop is off the ground and has large windows for ventilation. The run is fully covered. I have put the babies out and they are doing very well. I think we are good. Now I know next time they can go out in 3 weeks.

 

[Se7en]

Hi, I am also in south Louisiana. Tomorrow my chicks will be two weeks old, and they will be moving to the coop. They are currently in my garage (door open during the day), and even with a fan, it is a fight to keep temps near outside temps.

I have spent the last few days reinforcing my coop against predators (primarily snakes and rats), and adding ventilation. I found a small weather resistant vent fan (approx 5 inches square) that I put in one end to pull hot air out, made a mesh wire on frame door to the run to use instead of the solid door for ventilation, and when the chicks make the move, will put the fan they have now, near the outside of the new run door to give them a breeze in that part of the coop to cool down from the excessive humidity. Just a few ideas for maybe how to help them that I have run across the past few days.

Thank you I have them out and they are doing well. Great tips.

 

[Ponyiqandhens2]

I don't know where you are in Louisiana and I know it has recently been warmer, but my 10-day forecast calls for highs during the day in the low to mid 90's and a nighttime low around 80 F. The dew point is above 70 F so the "feels like" is up there in the day but not as much at night. Chickens do not eat or drink in the dark. When my broody hens are raising chicks they do not have a light at night. They do not eat or drink at night. They do not have to drink at night. I do have water available for them when they wake up.


You probably got that understanding from something you read on this forum. I don't know what your coop looks like, I'm reluctant to talk too much about this without knowing if there is something unique about your coop that would cause a problem, but some of us have food and/or water in the coop only, some have food and/or water in the run only, and some (including me) have food and water in both the coop and run. We all have our own reasons for what we do. Just because somebody says to not do it, does not mean you can't in your circumstances. We all have different circumstances. If you are not going to let them out fairly soon after they wake up I'd seriously consider having water in their coop. Or leave the pop door open if you consider their run predator proof. Some of our snakes can eat three week old chicks so I'd be careful about that.


I've done that too.

Yeah, we have been under a heat advisory until 7-8 pm here, with tempsnot dropping below 93-94 and 75-90% humidity and i have watched my hens hop off the roosts/ trees whatever and get cold water,as i clean and refill all my bird waters,metal waters, discarded steel pots and pans.

repurposed for animal water.

I Leave for work around 430 am so it gets done late..they always have water. But its colder at this time of day..


So mine hop down all the time

 

[Se7en]

Thank you everyone for the great advice. Since I started this post I have left my babies in the coop/run 24/7. I have decided to leave the pop door open so that in the morning they can get their food and water without me letting them out. They are in the coop/run 24/7 since they are so little. They are doing very well and I am very happy to have them out of the house. I do bring ice out to the hens and my babies. My hens have plenty of shade since we have 3 large Oak trees and a boat that they like to hide under. I appreciate all of the guidance. I learn so much here. Thank you.

 

[BonnieBlue]

Thank you everyone for the great advice. Since I started this post I have left my babies in the coop/run 24/7. I have decided to leave the pop door open so that in the morning they can get their food and water without me letting them out. They are in the coop/run 24/7 since they are so little. They are doing very well and I am very happy to have them out of the house. I do bring ice out to the hens and my babies. My hens have plenty of shade since we have 3 large Oak trees and a boat that they like to hide under. I appreciate all of the guidance. I learn so much here. Thank you.

I have yet to let my littles, almost 3 weeks old, into the run. It is fully covered, and has a large fan blowing into it, but so far, I am keeping the temps just under outside temps with all I mentioned, plus, now I have a gallon jug of water that is frozen, in front of the fan I placed just outside the run door. The fan blows onto the bottle as it thaws, cooling the air down in that immediate area. The babies tend to gather around it staying cool, and drinking the cold water condensation on the outside of the bottle. It is like the office water cooler! lol

Plus, I am not sure I would be able to get them back into the coop at night. I am going to need to rehome some of the babies, so hopefully, when I get the numbers down to what I can keep, I can get them in and out easier.

 

[jpalmatier83]

Thank you everyone for the great advice. Since I started this post I have left my babies in the coop/run 24/7. I have decided to leave the pop door open so that in the morning they can get their food and water without me letting them out. They are in the coop/run 24/7 since they are so little. They are doing very well and I am very happy to have them out of the house. I do bring ice out to the hens and my babies. My hens have plenty of shade since we have 3 large Oak trees and a boat that they like to hide under. I appreciate all of the guidance. I learn so much here. Thank you.

If you’re going to leave your pop door open 24/7, you need to make doubly sure your run is predator proof (including the top). Raccoons, opossums, weasels and other critters will climb right over the top, slide in the door, and cause a massacre in a heartbeat.