Moving pullets to coop

[rosemarythyme]

Ugh I didn't even look at ventilation because I was focusing too hard on the roost bars. But yes you need both light (natural or artificial) plus ventilation to keep the chickens happy and healthy in there.

 

[Scissors65]

I can share my experience on the nest boxes only I hope it helps....
I moved my pullets to their coop when they were around 4 weeks old. I used pine shavings throughout, and that included the nesting boxes,. I tried for a few weeks to keep the pullets out of the nesting boxes (covered the holes w/ cardboard.... that they pecked through to get in! And even put a huge bucket of water with a lid in each .....that they just squeezed their bodies in anyways. I Even put wood over the fronts where they did the same with the squeezing in act....LOL.
So, I stopped stressing and let them sleep where they wanted they were little.
But, They didn't start to roost on their own until about 12-13 weeks old! I was told all along "not to stress about it, they would figure it out on their own" (and they did!!)
Around 14 weeks old, Is when I added curtains to the nest boxes with a tension rod. I didn't pull the curtains back, I just added slits in the fabric so they just dangled in front of the boxes. That is when I changed the nest box material only to nesting pads ( I highly recommend!) This made it an all new environment "room" for them to check out!
They went in and checked them out, for a few weeks....fluffed the pads, even took a sit for a bit on top of the wooden eggs I placed inside.
My first white egg came at 16 weeks!
I can honestly say to this day (over a year later) My girls never poop in their nests!!
Hope my story helps.

 

[Oldcatawbablacksmith]

Sorry for posting pics before it was complete but yes there are ventilation ports on both ends of the coop and a light installed now. I am located in south western Virginia so some nights are still cool planned to put a heat lamp in the far corner for those nights?? I do not have a window on the coop currently is that necessary? The vents are 8”x6” at the top of each end and covered with hardware cloth to keep things out is that enough light? One end will face the south and get good light all day.
Thank you all again for the help! I plan to move the roost to 12” spacing and from 6” to 10” off the floor then block the nesting boxes until 14 weeks or so. Hopefully by then they know where to sleep!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I am located in south western Virginia so some nights are still cool planned to put a heat lamp in the far corner for those nights?? I do not have a window on the coop currently is that necessary? The vents are 8”x6” at the top of each end and covered with hardware cloth to keep things out is that enough light? One end will face the south and get good light all day.

How cold is "cold?" In most cases additional heat will not ever be needed and a heat lamp is a fire risk for sure.

If the vents let in sufficient light then no a window is not needed.

 

[Oldcatawbablacksmith]

We are getting down into the high 40s and low 50’s at night and typically 60 and up during the day

 

[Ridgerunner]

How old are your 8 pullets? If they are over 5 weeks they probably don't need any heat out there with those temperatures.

In that size coop you will not be inside with everything closed so you should have enough light for you to see. The chickens need to have enough light so they can find the nests and put themselves to sleep on the roosts. If you feed and water inside they need enough light for that but in that small coop you may not have enough room for food and water. That doesn't take much light. Some people have a preference for a brightly lit coop, my preference is a darker coop, but that's just personal preferences. A 6" x 8" opening isn't huge but with two of those it might be enough light. Dark stormy days would be the test.

One issue people have when it is too dark is that the chickens don't put themselves to bed inside. By the time it gets dark enough outside to tell them to go to bed it's too dark inside for them to see how to. They don't always go to sleep inside the coop when they are introduced to the run anyway so that's not a sure test to start with. But some people use a small light or glow stick at dark to see if that gets them to go inside.

I don't have a hard and fast answer for you. That might be enough light but if it were mine I'd probably add some more window. That could be another opening covered with hardware cloth, maybe covered with Plexiglas. More ventilation up high wouldn't hurt either.

 

[Oldcatawbablacksmith]

Thank you again very much I will get them out there and see what happens and keep fighting e tuning as we go!

 

[Vantic]

I want to give you an example of what your chickens can thrive in. I have a mobile coop, well ventilated but not drafty. The walls are corrugated PVC roofing, the floor is 1" hardware cloth. I live in N. Idaho. My chickens get no light (but I'll not get into that here) and NO heat. With the windchill, it has gotten to -19F here. Chickens don't care as long as they have the carbs they need to stay warm. I've gotten to the point of wear two pairs of gloves to go out and tend them, they will be outside hunting for artic bugs.

If your birds are fully feathered and have been transitioned to no heat in the brooder, they will be fine. Heat only gives them temp changes from inside to outside, which can cause them to have lung issues.

Have fun