Move to coop or wait?

[horror_trashcan]

Money is tight right now I haven't been able to pick up any pine shavings for their coop, I could still move them but there won't be anything between them and the floor and with it this cold I feel I should wait until I can get shavings.
They're 6w and I could get shavings possibly monday, I know they're cramped in the brooder and definitely bored.
I could also possibly place a small bag of shavings in there but it would cover maybe 15% of the coop so I'm unsure if that's worth it.
What do you think?
I'm leaning towards the small bag of shavings as I don't want them getting violent, they're also trying to fly out when I feed them which is scary since there are dogs in the yard.
I would also like to start putting pine needles as a shaving replacement but with the avian flu going around I fear putting anything wild birds have been on in the coop.

 

[Squawkers]

I'm glad you got your new chicks!! What about letting them outside during the day so they can get their energy out and then put them up at night so they are warmer?

 

[horror_trashcan]

I'm glad you got your new chicks!! What about letting them outside during the day so they can get their energy out and then put them up at night so they are warmer?

I assume you mean inside the brooder still, they're inside the yard and there are several dogs so unfortunately I can't let them out unless its free ranging outside the fence and I doubt I'll be able to catch them to put them back inside. The way my brooder is set up I would have to manually place them back inside as well.
I also considered placing the spent brooder shavings inside the coop since I plan on using the deep litter method but it would still not be enough to cover the floor.
I guess I'm concerned about them being in the coop and their poop freezing without anything to soak it up, the super cold part is over but I know the moisture isn't good.

 

[FrostRanger]

I assume you mean inside the brooder still, they're inside the yard and there are several dogs so unfortunately I can't let them out unless its free ranging outside the fence and I doubt I'll be able to catch them to put them back inside. The way my brooder is set up I would have to manually place them back inside as well.
I also considered placing the spent brooder shavings inside the coop since I plan on using the deep litter method but it would still not be enough to cover the floor.
I guess I'm concerned about them being in the coop and their poop freezing without anything to soak it up, the super cold part is over but I know the moisture isn't good.

I think they meant put them in the coop during the day and bring them in at night until you can get the shavings

 

[Squawkers]

Do they have a roost? That would keep them off their poop.

 

[horror_trashcan]

I think they meant put them in the coop during the day and bring them in at night until you can get the shavings

Thats not an entirely horrible idea, I just have 15 and the coop is a few minutes walk away.

Do they have a roost? That would keep them off their poop.

They do, I was thinking I could put some of their empty food bags underneath to catch it.

 

[Squawkers]

Thats not an entirely horrible idea, I just have 15 and the coop is a few minutes walk away.

They do, I was thinking I could put some of their empty food bags underneath to catch it.

If you you can manage It might be best to move them back and forth. If they sleep on the roosts I wouldn't worry about it, but if its their first time out in the coop there is a good chance they might not sleep on the roosts. A lot of the time chicks take a while before they start roosting in the coop.

 

[Squawkers]

Have you been acclimating them to the weather? I think you said something about them being outside? If they have been brooded inside the whole time I would not put them out at night yet. They need to get used to super cold temps.

 

[horror_trashcan]

If you you can manage It might be best to move them back and forth. If they sleep on the roosts I wouldn't worry about it, but if its their first time out in the coop there is a good chance they might not sleep on the roosts. A lot of the time chicks take a while before they start roosting in the coop.

They have a few roosts inside the brooder as well but I think with how cold its been they've been preferring to sleep in big piles, I have caught them roosting before these cold nights came however.

Have you been acclimating them to the weather? I think you said something about them being outside? If they have been brooded inside the whole time I would not put them out at night yet. They need to get used to super cold temps.

They've been brooded outside the whole time, their lamp was turned off a week and a half ago. They made it through last night which was 2°F and the last few had gotten down to 5°.

 

[horror_trashcan]

Today I'm working on getting rid of the drafts on at least a corner of the coop where one of the roosts are so it'll be at least another day before I start transitioning them. I plan on free ranging them with supervision but I know they need to stay in the coop for a while before I start letting them out.