Made my run addition for flock rotation plan

[Doc7]

I have a 4x6 coop and a 8x8 run. Today I added on a 6x6 run with a full size door between the two on the shared wall. There is also a 4” x 7” “chick door” for the integration process once the chicks are a couple weeks old and ready to be able to run back and forth between their safe chick coop and run and the big hen coop and run.

Adding 3 day-old birds to a flock of 6 in April. Next - build the coop addition, which will also share a wall with the existing, initially separated by a hardware cloth barrier and again with a 4” x 7” chick door after the first two week separation period.

The opening shown in one of the photos of the run is the last section of HC that I screwed rather than stapled on, as in the next few weeks or months that will be where I build and attach the new coop extension.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Doc7, I remember us discussing this recently. Glad you've made progress and are closer to ready.

@azygous if you are available over the holidays, what do you think of the 4" x 7" chick doors? I don't use that method but you do. Would you (or someone else with experience in it) suggest something narrower?

 

[Doc7]

Here is another photo.

If I see hens getting through the doors I can just screw a strip of plywood on to make it smaller.

The hens are enjoying the new ground to scratch for now.

 

[aart]

what do you think of the 4" x 7" chick doors? I don't use that method but you do. Would you (or someone else with experience in it) suggest something narrower?

I found 4" to be wide enough for my smaller hens to get thru,
luckily discovered this before adding chicks,
had to add a piece to make opening 3".
Made my other 'tiny doors' adjustable so I could close them up tighter.

Center door is 5x7, what @azygous uses, I think ...was too wide. Side doors are 4x4.

Added piece to narrow center door.

 

[azygous]

Aart has some very slick chick doors. They'd be worth copying, in my opinion. My chick doors are closer to 4 1/2 inches wind than 5 inches. I am lazy and round off the dimensions when I toss out measurements.

I've also seen people use a horizontal design where there's a long narrow opening along the bottom of the coop dividers so babies can duck under them but are not high enough for adults to scoot under. This form of chick openings would give chicks even more and quicker access to safety.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I've also seen people use a horizontal design where there's a long narrow opening along the bottom of the coop dividers so babies can duck under them but are not high enough for adults to scoot under. This form of chick openings would give chicks even more and quicker access to safety.

"1 brick high" is enough for chicks to easily scoot under up to around 5 weeks, and too small for adults to fit (their heads will fit, the rest of them won't).

 

[aart]

I've also seen people use a horizontal design where there's a long narrow opening along the bottom of the coop dividers so babies can duck under them but are not high enough for adults to scoot under. This form of chick openings would give chicks even more and quicker access to safety.

Yep...I like that concept.....gotta keep bedding cleared away which can be a problem in my setup with the lower doors.

 

[Doc7]

The long horizontal access is a great idea that I wish I had learned about prior to construction. As it is, unless I note serious problems next May, I believe mine will stay as currently built, with the potential for closing it in some with plywood strips if 4x7 is too large.

However - I just offered zucchini, strawberries , and scratch grains, and all the chickens gave up trying to get through the opening after 5 minutes. I had just painted it while I was painting hardware cloth, so now my New Hampshire Red has got a black paint scarf on

 

[FarmerGirl101]

I really like what you are doing!

 

[Doc7]

I built the west wing of my coop on Thursday and Friday. Now I am sized for 9. Waiting for april chicks now.