Outside in the am with dew on the grass?

[happyhourhero]

I have 7 chicks that are around 4 weeks old and moved them from the brooder to the coop last weekend and have been letting them hang out in the run in the day and put them in the coop at night. I live in Florida so my days are around 90 and my nights are upper 70s. I left them in the coop today while at work because the grass has been real wet in the mornings and I dont want them to get wet and maybe too cold when the temp is in the 70's until the dew goes away as the day heats up. Do you think they would be ok if I let them out before work while the grass is wet or should I keep them in the coop like I did today (yesterday I drove home to let them out at lunch but cant do that always)? I worry most about the little silkie.

Here are the chicks and here is the coop.

 

[lazy gardener]

Did you raise them from day olds? Especially the white one looks much younger than 4 weeks. Is that a recent pic? That run is not secure for such young birds. End panel has gaps, as well as gaps under all walls. You have a dilemma b/c it looks like the coop lacks ventilation, and even with good ventilation, it will be an oven with day time temps in high 80's - 90's. I would suggest cutting in a nice big window, and putting some HW cloth covered ventilation under the eaves. Otherwise good functional build.

 

[happyhourhero]

Did you raise them from day olds? Especially the white one looks much younger than 4 weeks. Is that a recent pic? That run is not secure for such young birds. End panel has gaps, as well as gaps under all walls. You have a dilemma b/c it looks like the coop lacks ventilation, and even with good ventilation, it will be an oven with day time temps in high 80's - 90's. I would suggest cutting in a nice big window, and putting some HW cloth covered ventilation under the eaves. Otherwise good functional build.

There are no gaps under the boards now. That pic was right after we put on the hardware cloth and it wraps all the way around without any gaps. Here is the rear view as far as the ventilation goes. You still think it is inadequate?

The chicks were all bought the same day. The white one is a silkie and we have had them since 9/23. The pic of the chicks was from yesterday.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Good morning, welcome to BYC!

We never even reach 70 here, and morning dew is par for the course almost every day on the coast.

I would open it up before leaving, especially if they know how to get back in. And I might also put a little cardboard huddle box down below, to help them feel like they have cover.

Your babies are cute!

Did you get them sexed? The one farthest to the left with NO tail and very few feathers is either a boy or very slow growing large breed, in my experience.

Yes, I would think in your area that you might need some more ventilation by next summer... ABOVE roost height, near the roof... because ammonia rises as well as the heat. Give them a place to escape. Especially if you don't have shade that covers the coop during the day. Since it changes by season, I try to make sure we get summer shade but winter sun when possible.

Congrats on your beautiful flock!

 

[happyhourhero]

Good morning, welcome to BYC!

We never even reach 70 here, and morning dew is par for the course almost every day on the coast.

I would open it up before leaving, especially if they know how to get back in. And I might also put a little cardboard huddle box down below, to help them feel like they have cover.

Your babies are cute!

Did you get them sexed? The one farthest to the left with NO tail and very few feathers is either a boy or very slow growing large breed, in my experience.

Yes, I would think in your area that you might need some more ventilation by next summer... ABOVE roost height, near the roof... because ammonia rises as well as the heat. Give them a place to escape. Especially if you don't have shade that covers the coop during the day. Since it changes by season, I try to make sure we get summer shade but winter sun when possible.

Congrats on your beautiful flock!

Thank you! The chicks were not sexed. That one is supposed to be a blue Amerucauna. For sure is slow to feather out and we were thinking boy too.

 

[chickens really]

Cute Chicks....They should do just fine....My Momma Hens take Chicks out with snow still on the ground...If they already know how to get back to the Coop? They will go in if needed....

 

[lazy gardener]

If that coop and run were in my yard, i'd reinforce the run by putting a skirt all the way around it, and burying it under the sod. Any digging predator will be in that run in very short order. Even though you have a privacy fence, and I'm guessing you live in an urban area, you'd be surprised what kind of visitors come visiting in such neighborhoods at night, or even in the day. A fence means nothing to a coon, weasel, possum... Even grey foxes are very good climbers. If you can push a quarter through an opening, Mr. Weasel can get through. He'll kill an entire flock in a single night just for the joy of it. Snakes are also a very real threat in your area.

As for ventilation, the recommendation is for 1 s.f. of ventilation in coop per bird. If the window is the only ventilation source (can't tell from the pics) then, no matter how big the window, it's not adequate, b/c the air must have an inlet and an outlet to function properly. Also, heat rises, so you can take advantage of that by having a low vent and a high vent, but you don't want those currents/breezes blowing directly across the birds as they roost.

On a different thread, with similar circumstance, advice was given by an other member to provide a huddle box in the run. I like that idea, and it would work well in your set up. If the chicks have been in the coop for a few nights, they may figure out the "return to coop at bed time" routine. If not, you may have to show them, by putting them on the ramp and scooting them up the ramp. You can also encourage them to "learn the ramp" by placing a small amount of scratch grain on the ramp. They are old enough that dew should not be an issue, nor should they need any heat.