Illinois...

[BReeder!]

Look what I found in the bantam's tractor! Noodles comb has been getting darker for the past few weeks, and this is my (her) 1st tiny serama egg! Soooo egg-citing!

For the pic, I put it next to an orp egg for comparison.

I have two orp chicks. I cannot wait for those orp eggs! The Sarama egg is cute, but I don't like cooking those tiny eggs. Cracking 4x or 5x eggs is not what I look forward to in the morning.

 

[BReeder!]

Being summer, the temps should be fine. I stopped using a brooder thermometer years ago. Basically, you can tell if they're too hot or cold by the way they act. The ones I have here do not all sleep under the broody. (Because I do not plan to keep them, I'm not bothering to integrate these chicks.)

I would partition off an area of the run for them to start the "look but don't peck" approach. In a few days to a week, open a small door for them to go in & out of their safety zone. Is your run predator proof? If not, you may have to have them sleep somewhere else at night or set up their area inside the coop.

Thanks for advice. The run is predator proof on all sides, but there is still no bird netting. I was thinking about using a wooden box with a hole cut ot for them to get access in and out or something similar as a place for them to sleep. It would offer protection from owls and any other aerial predators. We're have had opossums before, but I haven't seen any this year - they are the one predator we're have that could climb over the fence and to the chicks still.
Another idea I had was to let the chicks hang out under the coop. The biggest girl's have been laying under the so I was thinking about putting hardware both across the front or something to block their access anyway.

 

[Molpet]

Thanks for advice. The run is predator proof on all sides, but there is still no bird netting. I was thinking about using a wooden box with a hole cut ot for them to get access in and out or something similar as a place for them to sleep. It would offer protection from owls and any other aerial predators. We're have had opossums before, but I haven't seen any this year - they are the one predator we're have that could climb over the fence and to the chicks still.
Another idea I had was to let the chicks hang out under the coop. The biggest girl's have been laying under the so I was thinking about putting hardware both across the front or something to block their access anyway.

skunks don't climb, or jump high, but just about every other predator can climb , fly or jump 6'
owls and hawks have been known to walk in coops through the chicken door.
Bird netting will not keep opposums, raccoons, weasels, foxes, coyotes, stray dogs out.. and owls and hawks get in where it overlaps the fence if not secure.

 

[Faraday40]

skunks don't climb, or jump high, but just about every other predator can climb , fly or jump 6'
owls and hawks have been known to walk in coops through the chicken door.
Bird netting will not keep opposums, raccoons, weasels, foxes, coyotes, stray dogs out.. and owls and hawks get in where it overlaps the fence if not secure.

x2
My "run" is technically a breezy coop. It has hardware cloth walls around all sides, a fiberglass roof, & buried stone slabs underground to prevent tunneling. In addition to all that, the chicks are locked up inside another cage.

I wouldn't keep chicks in a run that doesn't have a roof. If your coop isn't big enough to keep the chick cage / box, then you can bring it out during the day & put it in the garage at night.

 

[Faraday40]

I have two orp chicks. I cannot wait for those orp eggs! The Sarama egg is cute, but I don't like cooking those tiny eggs. Cracking 4x or 5x eggs is not what I look forward to in the morning.

Oh do I understand!
DD made this for her nature art project. The background is smashed eggshell mosaic of a sunrise with "EGGS" spelled out in quail eggs. She came up with the idea one day at lunch when I cooked up about 20 quail eggs.

BTW- She was dressed up for her dance. We stopped by the 4H building to see how she did before the talent show.

Here was her paper project (it's inside a shadow box)
Can you tell she enjoys dance???

Here was her friend's who won Best in Show (aka, my other daughter, since everyone thinks they're sisters.)

They had a fun time doing the talent show (a tap ballet duel) & it gave them another opportunity to wear their costumes.

 

[BReeder!]

x2
My "run" is technically a breezy coop. It has hardware cloth walls around all sides, a fiberglass roof, & buried stone slabs underground to prevent tunneling. In addition to all that, the chicks are locked up inside another cage.

I wouldn't keep chicks in a run that doesn't have a roof. If your coop isn't big enough to keep the chick cage / box, then you can bring it out during the day & put it in the garage at night.

I think I figured out or best solution. I could definitely put the chicks in a cage and place it in the coop, but I fear they would be harassed by the biggest girls and stressed. It would also leave them vulnerable to hawks during the day if I want to let them out to stretch. Instead, I have a large dog cage that my bulldog no longer uses. It's bigger than the brooder, and provides fencing on all sides, floor and roof. Floor has a tray inside too so easy clean up. I'm going to put the dog cage in the run and then place the chicks in the dog cage. Additionally, I am going to include a miniature coop for the chicks inside the cage for night time and to stay out of any rain. I can cover the top with a tap on rainy days as well top keep water off the little ones. I will just have to figure out a way to letthe chicks go in and out as the please without allowing access to the bigger girls when we are ready to let the chicks introduce themselves to the other girls.

 

[Molpet]

I think I figured out or best solution. I could definitely put the chicks in a cage and place it in the coop, but I fear they would be harassed by the biggest girls and stressed. It would also leave them vulnerable to hawks during the day if I want to let them out to stretch. Instead, I have a large dog cage that my bulldog no longer uses. It's bigger than the brooder, and provides fencing on all sides, floor and roof. Floor has a tray inside too so easy clean up. I'm going to put the dog cage in the run and then place the chicks in the dog cage. Additionally, I am going to include a miniature coop for the chicks inside the cage for night time and to stay out of any rain. I can cover the top with a tap on rainy days as well top keep water off the little ones. I will just have to figure out a way to letthe chicks go in and out as the please without allowing access to the bigger girls when we are ready to let the chicks introduce themselves to the other girls.

Fyi Coons can reach through and pull parts off the birds any openings bigger than 3/4 inch

 

[Life is Good!]

If anyone's heading to the DuPage Co. Fair, check the kids Ag area for the hatching chicks.... I've got a couple dozen Swedish Flower Hens chicks there, if they hatched!
I'll be there tomorrow to see them! Can't wait to see if there are any new fluffy butts to stick under my first SFH broody!!!

 

[BReeder!]

Fyi Coons can reach through and pull parts off the birds any openings bigger than 3/4 inch

I don't have issues with raccoons fortunately. We have seen one fox on the edge of nearby farm field, but even they have not ventured into the neighborhood. The opossum family wehaf lady year under the shed was the biggest ground threat we have had. The only other predators are my two dogs (they cannot get into the chicken run though), hawks, eagles, and owls. There are plenty of squirrels and rabbits as well as the occasional voles and chipmunks, but I don't see any of them as threats. There is the possibility of a stray cat, but they don't ever seem to venture into or yard. I intend to put some screening or plastic to cover the first few lower inches of the dog cage walls in case the chicks are still able to squeeze through right now. That should prevent a cat from being able to paw at the chicks through the cage if a cat was to come around.
Any other gaps in my plan that you see? Thanks for the help.

 

[cavemanrich]

I have a few of the dog cages myself. Can I suggest that you remove the tray from bottom and use it as a roof. The chicks will walk on the run ground, which is a good thing. Also no need to clean up tray. The larger openings on the cage floor will allow plenty of good walking surface , and chicks will not be getting tripped ether. You can also move cage to grass area when desired.