Nervous Chicken Mama :/

[ChicknLittleLexi]

So...we finished our coop to a level satisfactory for my babies to move in tonight. We had cut a hole out of the wall to put the external nest boxes, but since they are only 6 weeks old we didn't build the actual boxes yet so we simply covered the hole with chicken wire. I am worried that my babies are going to freeze, so I wedged a piece of plywood in there to keep it a bit warmer in there. The hole is about 36x12 inches and am worried about them freezing...it still gets below 40 degrees Fahrenheit here at night.

HELP! I am a worried chicken mama!

 

[ChicknLittleLexi]

Well...they are outside, it's 50 degrees out there, the low tonight should be 44 so I think they'll be just fine

 

[felidaet]

Don't use chicken wire! Predators can rip through this in seconds. I personally would securely attach a piece of plywood until you are ready to install the nest boxes. It you really want wire then you must use hardware cloth at a minimum. And make sure it is securely attached. Use screws with washers under the head. Not staples or nails. I used more than 500 washers and screws attaching the hardware cloth to my run! I put a screw and washer about every 6 inches.

With those temperatures and 6 weeks old, I personally would have a heat lamp on somewhere in the coop where they can get under it if they are cold. I would turn it on every night for at least a couple of more weeks.

 

[write2caroline]

Heat lamp risks fire. Go to the bakery section of the grocery store and ask for some frosting buckets - sometimes they toss them - I get them with lids most of the time FREE

Fill it with hot tap water - put the lid on top - place in the coop - it will work well and not chance starting a fire. The lid blocks the steam from evaporating and therefore the heat disapates slowly. Works like a radiator. The bucket does not need to be huge either.

Caroline

 

[ChicknLittleLexi]

Thanks for the replies!

felidaet - tell this to my husband. We had already purchased chicken wire when I decided hardware cloth would be better. He's already done the window and the entire run with chicken wire, and attached it with STAPLES. He says I'm being paranoid, but I know better. I'm not too happy about it, but since I need him to install it and he refuses...well...

write2caroline - We are in the same area! It was relatively warm-ish last night, and when I woke up this morning they were all snug as a bug and walking around so I'm no longer worried about them. It's not supposed to drop too low for the rest of the week here, I'm going to keep an eye on it for the rest of this week though and then go from there.