Keebler box truck run.

[DingDingChickenKing]

Yikes!

Being in central NC I mostly have mild temperatures and worry more about heat than cold, but occasionally get crazy weather -- including this week when I'm going to have day-old babies outside!

The solution members here helped me come up with last time this happened was to use my Big Red Bulb to keep the ambient temperature at a level that the heat plate could operate effectively.

with them free roaming and being northern ky, just kinda as a rough guess, we peak around 95 in the summer and average around 20 degrees in the winters, its been dropping into the 30s and 40s. I might be over worrying about it, but i just want them comfortable till they got some weight and feathers.

If you look at the brooder i put a old bird cage bottom between the light and brooder so the light wont drop out if it melts again, on top of someone being home 24/7 and awake i think were safe enough for now.

Do you have advice or a link to advice for introducing flocks that are around 6 weeks apart? My sister gets easter chickens so her kids can watch them birth and then just gives them away, well i wanna save a few, so i told her id take a few silkies but their gonna be behind.
I plan on taking 3, unknown gender so atleast a few of em will get happy homes.

 

[3KillerBs]

with them free roaming and being northern ky, just kinda as a rough guess, we peak around 95 in the summer and average around 20 degrees in the winters, its been dropping into the 30s and 40s. I might be over worrying about it, but i just want them comfortable till they got some weight and feathers.

If you look at the brooder i put a old bird cage bottom between the light and brooder so the light wont drop out if it melts again, on top of someone being home 24/7 and awake i think were safe enough for now.

Do you have advice or a link to advice for introducing flocks that are around 6 weeks apart? My sister gets easter chickens so her kids can watch them birth and then just gives them away, well i wanna save a few, so i told her id take a few silkies but their gonna be behind.
I plan on taking 3, unknown gender so atleast a few of em will get happy homes.

Here are some useful articles on integration:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

 

[rosemarythyme]

My main comment is about your roost situation. Are those ladders going to serve as roosts? If so, a few things:

- The rungs on the ladder may be too narrow for roosts. Aim for 2" diameter or more. You could probably cut some 2x4s or branches to fit and replace the rungs currently there, or remove the rungs and use the sides of the ladder as the roosts. In that case you'd want them a minimum of 12" from the wall, and 14-16" apart from one another.

- Your nest box is higher than most of the ladder, which makes them a more attractive "roost" option than the actual roost. If possible you may want to consider mounting the ladder/roosts to sit slightly higher than the nests.

- Meat birds generally don't roost. Maybe consider a poop board under the layers roost, so the meat birds can sleep on the floor without getting pooped on?

- I also wouldn't have the waterer underneath a roost without some sort of cover (i.e. a poop board). It will get splattered with poop otherwise.

 

[DingDingChickenKing]

My main comment is about your roost situation. Are those ladders going to serve as roosts? If so, a few things:

- The rungs on the ladder may be too narrow for roosts. Aim for 2" diameter or more. You could probably cut some 2x4s or branches to fit and replace the rungs currently there, or remove the rungs and use the sides of the ladder as the roosts. In that case you'd want them a minimum of 12" from the wall, and 14-16" apart from one another.

- Your nest box is higher than most of the ladder, which makes them a more attractive "roost" option than the actual roost. If possible you may want to consider mounting the ladder/roosts to sit slightly higher than the nests.

- Meat birds generally don't roost. Maybe consider a poop board under the layers roost, so the meat birds can sleep on the floor without getting pooped on?

- I also wouldn't have the waterer underneath a roost without some sort of cover (i.e. a poop board). It will get splattered with poop otherwise.

i thought about that, the origional plan was, they can all be easily removed and I will put 2x4s that i have in the garage, into the coop when they start getting bigger, i thought they wouldnt like the 2x4s right off the bat but i was wrong, inside their brooder they love just sitting up there and sleeping. I appreciate it. and do intend to draw 2 2x4 across the right (under the smaller window) for them to roost.
The nest boxes being higher was a accident, this was a shed before i converted after buying the property. When i go to replace the ladders with 2x4s in the coming days, would about a 10 inch elevation from box to roost above where the boxes are be enough to encourage them to sit on the roost rather than inside the boxes?

the chain you see is to hang the water or food, the cinder blocks to the left are for the same thing. so they are not directly below anything.

I never thought about the meat birds not roosting. Thats a super good idea. I forgot to mention too those boxes are basically modular, nothing is locked in aside from the back wall, it can all be snapped out of place to be cleaned or replaced. The little board lips leading into the nesting boxes also comes out so you can just scoop right off the box and into a wheel barrel.

I left the nesting boxes high kind of for selfish reasons, I'm build large and thick, broad and heavy. I didnt want to be hunching over everyday for the rest of my life. I might anyway tho huh?

edit:
A afterthought, the modularity of my coop inside is pressure fitted, so no worries about a chicken knocking anything loose, you need to pry it out and take out some wedges, its solid.

Here are some useful articles on integration:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

Thank you so much!

 

[3KillerBs]

would about a 10 inch elevation from box to roost above where the boxes are be enough to encourage them to sit on the roost rather than inside the boxes?

In theory, yes, though I have some determined nest-sleepers who have to be evicted every night with just that sort of height difference.

My nests are also up at a convenient height because of my arthritis. I can still bend now, but there will come a time when I won't be able to.

 

[DingDingChickenKing]

In theory, yes, though I have some determined nest-sleepers who have to be evicted every night with just that sort of height difference.

My nests are also up at a convenient height because of my arthritis. I can still bend now, but there will come a time when I won't be able to.

you're great, thank you very much, ill return in a few days with some updated shots of the coop with improvements for comfort.

 

[rosemarythyme]

When i go to replace the ladders with 2x4s in the coming days, would about a 10 inch elevation from box to roost above where the boxes are be enough to encourage them to sit on the roost rather than inside the boxes?

Yes that should help encourage them to use the roosts for sleeping on. You might still get an occasional bird that doesn't follow the others, but instinctively they want to be up "higher" (doesn't have to be overly high) for safety.

I left the nesting boxes high kind of for selfish reasons, I'm build large and thick, broad and heavy. I didnt want to be hunching over everyday for the rest of my life. I might anyway tho huh?

Nest boxes are best at a height/location convenient for you. The birds will adjust to wherever you place them.

 

[DingDingChickenKing]

Redone roosts attached. Each board is 6 feet totally 12 feet.

I can do another 16 feet useing the double roost and extend it if needed.

I still haven't vented it yet. Trying to watch the weather and place the vent in a decent spot that won't let water come in.

 

[3KillerBs]

the vent

Roosts look great. Is the back bar of the double roost a foot or so from the wall? They need tail space.

Remember to make that "vents" plural -- because you need air FLOW 24/7/365.

Chickens readily tolerate cold down to 0F as long as they are dry and protected from any wind that would ruffle their feathers.

As long as the vents are at least a foot above their heads when they're sitting on the roost -- 2 feet above the roost for the sake of a convenient number -- and the rain doesn't come in it should be fine.

 

[DingDingChickenKing]

Roosts look great. Is the back bar of the double roost a foot or so from the wall? They need tail space.

Remember to make that "vents" plural -- because you need air FLOW 24/7/365.

Chickens readily tolerate cold down to 0F as long as they are dry and protected from any wind that would ruffle their feathers.

As long as the vents are at least a foot above their heads when they're sitting on the roost -- 2 feet above the roost for the sake of a convenient number -- and the rain doesn't come in it should be fine.

There probably isnt enough space, I will remove the back bar and move it over so its one singular bar across giving enough space.

Thank you! I appreciate yall helping me nip the problems before they are real problems.