Inside for the winter?

[dumb_cluck]

I am a newbie and starting my flock with SS. I'm only getting 6. I won't be getting them until the first of June, so I have from now till then to come up with a game plan.

I have Mallard ducks. They are kept indoors at night and all winter. I have enough room for 6 chickens in a separate pen. The area is heated to 50 degrees during the winter so I don't need to worry about water freezing or predators.

However, I also have inherited an old coop which needs lots of work. My thought was, to start the chickens being kept indoors and give me more time to renovate the coop. My question is: If I do that, will the chickens get all screwed up with living quarters?

I do plan to let them outside daily and I can fence in the area with the coop to let them get used to it. The coop needs so much to make it predator proof,that I may not have the time nor money to do it this year.

Thoughts??

 

[trilyn]

No, wherever you plan on keeping them long-term, just leave them locked up there for a week. It sounds mean, but that's how you "train" them to go back there at night if you plan to free range at all. Have fun with your new girls, they're a riot!!

 

[dumb_cluck]

That's my dilemma. Where to keep them long term.

INDOOR PROS: 1) already heated, lighted and has ducks and my mini horse
2) containment pen will be cheaper than fixing the coop
3) predator proof

OUTDOOR COOP CONS: 1) needs electric for lights
2) needs new chicken door
3) needs heat for water in winter
4) NOT predator proof
5) needs containment pen (outside coop)
6) not convenient to get to during snows

So, I figure the best of both worlds is to use what I have (indoor) for winter and use the coop (outdoor) during spring thru fall.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Have you thought about just building a really secure run onto your existing structure and adding a little door connecting them? That might be easier than the other renovation, as well as more convenient for long term management.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If I read this right, you are concerned that if you keep your chickens in one place for a while, possibly a year or more until you can get that old coop set up, will they have a problem transitioning to a new coop once it is ready? Or maybe rotating them back and forth as the seasons change. That should not be a big problem. As Trilyn said, just leave them locked in their new digs for a week before you let them out if you free range them. Dependingon how you have it set up, you may need to leave them locked up for a few days to teach them to roost in their new digs instead of the run if they are locked in a run.

The one downside I can think of is that the stress of moving can affect a chicken's laying. Don't be surprised if egg production drops for a while when you move them. Other than that, I can't see any real downsides.

I see you listed pros for indoor and cons for outdoor. Have you listed the cons for indoor and pros for outdoor?

 

[dumb_cluck]

Can't think of any cons for indoors or pro for outdoor. I guess I like things all nice and tidy(under lock and key) vs trusting an old coop to provide them with comfort and protection. Can you think of any I may have missed?

Tough being a "mom"........

BTW,I plan to use Premier's electric chicken fencing. I have their product for the horse and it works great! A bit expensive,but it allows you to move the pen around for better pasture management.

I have a portable outdoor pen for the ducks with a cargo net on top. Not electric 'cause the ducks are more interested in the mud and the pool than escaping.

 

[rcentner]

If they can access both of the "coops" when free ranging, I think , they will choose the one they like best. I had built a new coop and hadn't sold the old coop for a week or so after I moved them. I kept them in the new coop for 5 days (I know, shouldve been a little longer). When I let them out to free range I had to wait for them to roost (on top of the old coop) and move them into the new one. The 2nd night a few went into the new one, but some just wanted the old coop back, familiarity. I was too happy to sell the old one and they went right back into the new one no porlbem after that. So, the point is, that if they are constantly transitioned between the 2 and can walk to one or the other, they may pick the wrong one or divide up. Transitioning itself doesn't seem to affect the birds, my poor birds have had 3 coops in 1 year (we now have an acceptable coop). Sounds like the indoor setup is awesome, nice and easy too.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm not looking at your set-up. I don't know your goals or restrictions. I don't know what the pros and cons are in your situation.

If you see nothing good about putting them outdoors and nothing bad about putting them indoors, I think your decision would be pretty easy.

 

[andalusn]

Chickens are flexible, they just want to know where to eat, where to roost and how far can they wander

It's the people who decide where they want to manage them and how. My barn is large enough that the horse stalls are on one side and the chickens are encorporated into the unued loafing side. This makes it so I don't get too wet when it's raining and when it's freezing I have the ability to run the heaters for water. Chickens are happy and so am I.

 

[dumb_cluck]

I guess the "thing"I am trying to avoid is winter time. During the spring to fall, I wouldn't mind them being it the outdoor coop (once I get it up to par.)

Because I am getting the chicks late in the season (June), they will be laying age about the time fall-winter arrives. Right?