Please help, i would like to place my 6 week old chicks outside but im afraid 😨 😱

[Lrajos4]

1st time chicken owner i currently have them in my garage they are pretty big and my garage is super dusty...I bought HWC zip ties and extra locks for the doors...I have an Amazon small coop with an attached run...I am going to place it closer to my house I do have a cemented area I can keep them on or should I go ahead and place it on the dirt? I have a fenced in yard and predators ive seen are opossum skunks hawk owls...I have a small dog but he only goes out for a bit and comes right back in...I plan to add hwc to the outside of the run part since it has inside already...I can dig out some to place hwc underneath the run up on the sides then out and around the perimeter thoughts???

 

[DobieLover]

Please post a picture of your coop/run setup. Because you purchased it from Amazon, it is going to be a very temporary setup. It will be WAY too small for the number of birds you have, will have woefully insufficient ventilation and won't last long at all. But hopefully will hold up long enough to give you time to get something more appropriate built for them.

I would not put it on cement. I would put it on the ground and secure a 2' predator apron to it using either 1/2" hardware cloth or 2x4 welded wire fence. Pin the outside edges down with HD landscape staples hammered all the way down. You can use wood chips or dry leaves or whatever dry organic material you have for the run litter.

 

[Lrajos4]

Please post a picture of your coop/run setup. Because you purchased it from Amazon, it is going to be a very temporary setup. It will be WAY too small for the number of birds you have, will have woefully insufficient ventilation and won't last long at all. But hopefully will hold up long enough to give you time to get something more appropriate built for them.

I would not put it on cement. I would put it on the ground and secure a 2' predator apron to it using either 1/2" hardware cloth or 2x4 welded wire fence. Pin the outside edges down with HD landscape staples hammered all the way down. You can use wood chips or dry leaves or whatever dry organic material you have for the run litter.

This is the one I have ive been looking into a run i can put this in something like 9 by 6 but I cant decide which to get

 

[AshVau22]

How many chicks do you have? What's the temperature during the day and night? What county do you live in?

 

[CabritaChicks]

How many chickens do you have?

In my experience, those Amazon coops are complete junk. They’re hard to clean (back breaking), the wood is terrible, the roosting bars are way too low, and you end up constantly modifying them.

I raised it, widened it, lengthened it, adding a 'breakfast nook', raised the roosting bars, added in fans, ventilation, etc.

After sinking about $600 and a ridiculous amount of frustration into my old one trying to 'expand it' every other week just attempting to house 3 chickens (and mine was bigger than yours- free range during the day), I finally accepted that chickens past 7 weeks stink (thanks, cecal droppings), and stink means flies… and so on. I eventually just bit the bullet and built a proper coop from scratch.

If you’re in the States, you’ve got an easier starting point: grab a basic shed with a full-size door, add real ventilation by cutting in windows and lining with HWC, install a couple of cubby-style nest boxes, attach a straight run, and you’re set.

 

[DobieLover]

This is the one I have ive been looking into a run i can put this in something like 9 by 6 but I cant decide which to get

You originally wrote that you have a coop and run that you purchased from Amz. If you haven't already done so, don't! If you have, return it.

You will be far better off converting a shed or other out building into a coop and then attaching a run. If you don't have anything on your property that you could use, visit local shed builders and ask if you could purchase a used shed that they removed from a customer's property for the price of delivery. Or try to build something on the back of your garage that they are already being housed in if that's a possibility.

 

[Lrajos4]

How many chicks do you have? What's the temperature during the day and night? What county do you live in?

Right now 5 but I think 2 are roos and will need to rehome...im in Connecticut right now its about between 35 to 45 degrees...

 

[Lrajos4]

How many chickens do you have?

In my experience, those Amazon coops are complete junk. They’re hard to clean (back breaking), the wood is terrible, the roosting bars are way too low, and you end up constantly modifying them.

I raised it, widened it, lengthened it, adding a 'breakfast nook', raised the roosting bars, added in fans, ventilation, etc.

After sinking about $600 and a ridiculous amount of frustration into my old one trying to 'expand it' every other week just attempting to house 3 chickens (and mine was bigger than yours- free range during the day), I finally accepted that chickens past 7 weeks stink (thanks, cecal droppings), and stink means flies… and so on. I eventually just bit the bullet and built a proper coop from scratch.

If you’re in the States, you’ve got an easier starting point: grab a basic shed with a full-size door, add real ventilation by cutting in windows and lining with HWC, install a couple of cubby-style nest boxes, attach a straight run, and you’re set.

Oh gosh yes cleaning this coop is killing my back #1 reason to get them out... this will be temporary as I got this to move them from the brooder and keep them safe in the garage (not heated fyi)...I have been looking into getting one of those cages i can place this temporary coop in, this way they can have space during the day...ill look into those shed sounds like a fun project...I have 5 but I think 2 are roos so ill end up with 3

 

[Lrajos4]

You originally wrote that you have a coop and run that you purchased from Amz. If you haven't already done so, don't! If you have, return it.

You will be far better off converting a shed or other out building into a coop and then attaching a run. If you don't have anything on your property that you could use, visit local shed builders and ask if you could purchase a used shed that they removed from a customer's property for the price of delivery. Or try to build something on the back of your garage that they are already being housed in if that's a possibility.

I did already get it....wanted something temporary to get them out the brooder...im trying to get one of those walk in runs I can put this coop in and yea ill look into getting a shed to convert...thanks