Opinions on new coop please

[Goldenlaced_keeper]

Okay guys so last week I moved my 5 week old chicks out to the coop. I have 5 but I'm brooding 2 for my brother so 3 are staying with me. After posting pictures alot told me i needed a better coop for them so here it is. I was hoping you guys could tell me if this is a good coop for 3. Also I need a little advice as well with a night routine. They are 6 weeks old it gets around 55 at night here. Should I be forcing them up to the top roosting box and locking them in at night or let them Choose where to sleep. I put a little lamp up there at night last night and locked them in. Is this a good routine until they go up on there own at night. Im just worried its too cold, i know they are more tough than i think Thanks! Here's the pics. Can anyone tell is my polish a pullets or Cockrell yet?

 

[AidKD]

That looks good to me! I had my 3 week old chicks outside when the temperatures were in the 40's at night. Your birds will be just fine! Sorry, I can't help on the gender.

 

[aart]

I was hoping you guys could tell me if this is a good coop for 3.

Might be big enough for 3 adult birds, but it is kind of small.
You'll likely have problems with them sleeping in the nests because the roost bars are too small and too low.

Not sure they can get up the upper ladder part of the ramp.
Would be good to put a piece of wood behind the ladder rungs at the top like at the bottom.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I picked up one of these coops to use as a brooder. I used most part's of it but I still have the tiny roost bars, maybe use as trim on something, for sure not roost bars. You need 2x4's or 2x3's - flat side for roosting. Or whatever you want but way bigger than what they provide in this coop. I don't see cockerels in your pic so hopefully that's good news. 3 full grown hens maybe will be okay in this as long as you're going to let them out some... ? You also might wind up needing to make the ladder and the entry door bigger for full sized hens. Only my little chicks will go through the opening and use the little ladder.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You're going to need more ventilation to the coop itself. What's your climate like?

Is the open space all around the coop and mini run the actual run, or are you free ranging in the yard? You might want to consider converting the coop and mini run into a larger coop for more coop space (and to address ventilation).

 

[Ridgerunner]

They are 6 weeks old it gets around 55 at night here.

I've had chicks younger than that go through nights below freezing with no supplemental heat. You do not need to worry about the cold.

Should I be forcing them up to the top roosting box and locking them in at night or let them Choose where to sleep.

To me that is totally your choice. Many people on this forum seem to feel an obligation to force them to sleep on the roosts. I don't. I don't care where they sleep as long as it is predator safe and not in my nests. When they are ready to move to the roosts they will. Often that is around 10 to 12 weeks for my chicks.

Chickens tend to like to sleep at the highest point available. Not all do but most do. Those roosts look real close to the same height as your nests. They might sleep on those roosts, they might sleep in the nests. If they sleep in the nests you may need to raise one of those roosts. For three chickens one roost is all you need, and those Polish look like they are bantam. They take up even less room than full sized chickens.

Can anyone tell is my polish a pullets or Cockrell yet?

I cannot. To me chickens with all that extra fluff makes it harder. At 5 weeks the comb on that barred one makes it look like a male. No idea on the others.