New to chicken keeping

chynasparks

Songster
6 Years
Jun 21, 2013
548
27
118
Texas
I have been keeping my chicks on my covered porch. They are about 8 weeks now, full of life. We outfitted an extra large dog crate with chicken wire. Floor covered with hardware cloth. My husband lined it at the base with 2x4 wood covering the wider parts of the crate so nothing can get in. The crate sits on a table he built just for this purpose. They have lived in this crate since June 7th. We are building a coop/ run. I want to move them to their area that will be where the coop will go. There is my problem. I feel like a mother hen! They are safe under our covered porch. We can look out the door and see them. But I feel like they should go out to the space we have for them. It's concrete. We will be able to move the coop to grass and back again. I have to let go enough to get them off the porch. Is it too soon?
 
Welcome to BYC
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At 8 weeks they are old enough to move outside to the coop. I know it's hard to let them out especially the first night when they'll yell their heads off to be let back in to the brooder! But they're going to enjoy being out there. It's just the moving part that is hard for them and mother hen :)
 
I have 2 RIRs and 2 Buff Orpingtons. They are doing well in the crate. They are pullets. I'm reading up about my birds and get lots of help from the local feed store. My husband works with wood and is a "good egg" helping me with the coop. The reds are named Millie and Tillie, the orps are Buffy and Oriella. My husband named Oriella because she lets him scratch her neck. I will move them to the concrete slab in the yard and put up our pop up gazebo for cover. I'm off 3 days and will be watching like a hawk. I love this website learning a lot. Thanks to everyone!
 

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