i’ve got questions

[ladizzlee]

I have that exact same coop, it is great for only 2 chickens (maybe 4 if they are bantams) there’s no way for it to roost though. We now have 34 chickens so that coop has become the hospital / ICU lol.
Since there is a 50% chance that could be a cockerel, I would hold off on the friends until you know for sure.... unless now you want chickens. Just beware / chicks are a gateway drug.... if you fall in love with it and get more, they will add up and you’ll have over 30 like me

what do you think about this one ? it says 6 chickens can fit when we’ll have 2-3 (hopefully)

 

[Acre4Me]

o i have to figure out what to do for in between the box and the coop.

any wire shelving hanging around your place or a friend's? That is useful for cover, yet allows airflow and sight for chick to see you. In a pinch, I've use and old sheet, but I wouldn't do that with a box with solid sides, but could make up for too short of a shelf that could cover part of the opening.

so i am hoping for a hen but we won’t know until we find out

Post on the breed or gender forum on here. Sometimes chicks can be sexed due to patterning - but often not. Why not give it a shot! So, your current pics are good bc can see all sides and the feet color and any feathering on the legs.

 

[Aapomp831]

what do you think about this one ? it says 6 chickens can fit when we’ll have 2-3 (hopefully)

As long as it has at least 2 to 3 square feet per bird it will be ok. Only concern is the small area for them to forage - you would Have to move it around a lot as the grass will disappear and it will turn into a mud pit ( unless you’re planning on letting them free range outside of the small area provided y the coop).
Is your husband handy? It’s much cheaper to build your own coop. Our coop is 30 feet now, and we did it in 4 sections. The first one we built is 7 ft long and cost $200 to build - so basically twice the amount of space as the pre-fab one for less money. It doesn’t take much (especially for just a few chickens) and that way you can ensure proper spacing and create proper ventilation. That’s my big issue with pre - fab coops... they offer very little to no ventilation. And no ventilation causes severe frostbite in the cold winter months. You can download plans, or there are experts on here that can give you plans and help you step by step.
But that coop would work if you’re only planning on having 2 or three chickens. I would just drill ventilation holes in it somehow.

 

[rosemarythyme]

btw don’t chickens fly ? (evidence i know nothing) lol what would keep the chicken from flying away? do i need to clip it’s wings ?

Yes they fly, though many don't fly very well. Your little chick will escape if you don't keep an open mesh cover (anything from hardware cloth to window screen will do) on top.

Is your husband handy? It’s much cheaper to build your own coop. Our coop is 30 feet now, and we did it in 4 sections. The first one we built is 7 ft long and cost $200 to build - so basically twice the amount of space as the pre-fab one for less money. It doesn’t take much (especially for just a few chickens) and that way you can ensure proper spacing and create proper ventilation. That’s my big issue with pre - fab coops... they offer very little to no ventilation. And no ventilation causes severe frostbite in the cold winter months. You can download plans, or there are experts on here that can give you plans and help you step by step.
But that coop would work if you’re only planning on having 2 or three chickens. I would just drill ventilation holes in it somehow.

x2 on ventilation. Also prefab coops are costly for what you're getting and you'll still need to add a proper run, or give them yard access. Never take a prefab at face value for capacity... they're using factory farm numbers to inflate how many chickens will fit into them.

The basic minimum numbers recommended on here are (per bird) 4 sq ft in coop, 10 sq ft in run, 1 sq ft in ventilation.

 

[ladizzlee]

okay so being in Miami, it’s windy here and always warm - hot so i’m not worried about cold temps being that we get about 5-6 days of 45 and up a year and that’s that by noon it’s already in the 70-80s lol. as for the coop i am going to get a small one for now. i want to make sure i have a hen before i invest a lot more money into a good/spacious pre fab coop or find the time to build a large one.

on the other hand tonight i thought Nugget deserved a upgraded house. please tell me any positives or negatives with what i’ve done to the house or any recommendations of what to add or take away. tomorrow morning i’m picking up my dads temp gun to get a accurate reading of what the temps are to see if i need to adjust that lamp. again, thank you everyone for the advise so far.

 

[rosemarythyme]

okay so being in Miami, it’s windy here and always warm as for the coop i am going to get a small one for now. i want to make sure i have a hen before i invest a lot more money into a good/spacious pre fab coop or find the time to build a large one.

please tell me any positives or negatives with what i’ve done to the house or any recommendations of what to add or take away. tomorrow morning i’m picking up my dads temp gun to get a accurate reading of what the temps are to see if i need to adjust that lamp.

Since you're in a hot climate, what I'd recommend for ANY prefab is to consider replacing at least one wall with wire mesh. You will need the extra ventilation in summer for sure. So like the 2nd coop you linked, I'd replace all of the wood facing inside the run extension with welded wire or hardware cloth.

If you end up getting more chickens and decide to upgrade, your prefab can be reused as a isolation unit or chick brooder.

Wait and see what the temperature gun says, but my guess is you'll need the raise the lamp, unless that's a fairly low wattage red bulb? Make sure to check temperature under the lamp, and also on the side furthest from the lamp, you ideally would want to see the cooler side about 10 degrees cooler, maybe more.

 

[Acre4Me]

You can add a secured, unbreakabke mirror, let Nugget think there is a friend.

you can go to YouTube to find some audio of farm animals-especially chickens. I’ve had trouble finding “clean” audio that does not have a bunch of humans talking or lots of traffic noise, but keep looking bc can find some good audio. I have some that I play for hatching eggs-the chicks find renewed motivation in hatching when they hear the sounds of a momma hen.

 

[ladizzlee]

Since you're in a hot climate, what I'd recommend for ANY prefab is to consider replacing at least one wall with wire mesh. You will need the extra ventilation in summer for sure. So like the 2nd coop you linked, I'd replace all of the wood facing inside the run extension with welded wire or hardware cloth.

If you end up getting more chickens and decide to upgrade, your prefab can be reused as a isolation unit or chick brooder.

Wait and see what the temperature gun says, but my guess is you'll need the raise the lamp, unless that's a fairly low wattage red bulb? Make sure to check temperature under the lamp, and also on the side furthest from the lamp, you ideally would want to see the cooler side about 10 degrees cooler, maybe more.

great idea in reference to the coop.

as for the temps. what should the ideal temp be ? someone told me it looks like nugget might be around 2-3 weeks old

 

[Alyssa-Bee]

I agree with what has been said. The chick would be happier with friends... I've also heard that having a mirror or small stuffed animal can help them be less lonely as chicks. Chickens are awesome (so yes... you might end up with 30... ) But hey, that's a good thing! You can always sell the eggs! Chickens are flock animals, and should have at least two companions, but I understand you are in a sticky situation! I hope it's a girl! The breeds it looks close to are

• speckled sussex
• welsummer
• brown leghorn

I'm not the best with breeds, though. She(hopefully) looks about 1 week old.

This was my Speckled sussex, Confetti, at one week:

And my welsummer, Comet, at one week:

(Not the best quality photos)

 

[ladizzlee]

I agree with what has been said. The chick would be happier with friends... I've also heard that having a mirror or small stuffed animal can help them be less lonely as chicks. Chickens are awesome (so yes... you might end up with 30... ) But hey, that's a good thing! You can always sell the eggs! Chickens are flock animals, and should have at least two companions, but I understand you are in a sticky situation! I hope it's a girl! The breeds it looks close to are

• speckled sussex
• welsummer
• brown leghorn

I'm not the best with breeds, though. She(hopefully) looks about 1 week old.

This was my Speckled sussex, Confetti, at one week:
View attachment 2448784

And my welsummer, Comet, at one week:
View attachment 2448788
(Not the best quality photos)

oh wow yes. looks exactly like those with the feathered wings and fuzzy body. so now i know nugget should be about a week old.

well my husband already agreed he’ll be on the look out for some more chicks on the road but if this one does come out to be a rooster instead of a hen that we’ll have to get rid of it and he’ll get me a set of 3( hopefully hens).

i do plan on having at most 3 for now but 1 will do. lol