questions on making a brooder inside the coop

ok I thought of something the other day when I let the chicks out in the run in a baby play yard so the other chickens could see them more since they don't really notice them in the coop since they aren't in there much.......

once I let them out into the run to run around etc. will they know to go in on their own since they were brooded out there? or will they follow the big ones into the coop at night? I had to put my other ones in for the first few nights to teach them so will I need to do the same with these guys?

the next few days will be nice and I have 2 of them off. So I am planning on putting them in the play yard for the whole day the days I am off and setting up the MHP in case they want it, but I may not since we are going to be in the high 70 to low 80 so I don't think they will use it. I may just put something they can hid in if they want. Hoping once my broody that just hatched chicks a couple days ago brings hers outside and adjusts a bit more that these once will be more adjusted that I can let them out on their own with safety spots. We camp next weekend though and I work Sun-Thurs so not sure when I can do it that I can watch. I will get safety areas set up today though so at least those are set.
 
ok I thought of something the other day when I let the chicks out in the run in a baby play yard so the other chickens could see them more since they don't really notice them in the coop since they aren't in there much.......

once I let them out into the run to run around etc. will they know to go in on their own since they were brooded out there? or will they follow the big ones into the coop at night? I had to put my other ones in for the first few nights to teach them so will I need to do the same with these guys?

the next few days will be nice and I have 2 of them off. So I am planning on putting them in the play yard for the whole day the days I am off and setting up the MHP in case they want it, but I may not since we are going to be in the high 70 to low 80 so I don't think they will use it. I may just put something they can hid in if they want. Hoping once my broody that just hatched chicks a couple days ago brings hers outside and adjusts a bit more that these once will be more adjusted that I can let them out on their own with safety spots. We camp next weekend though and I work Sun-Thurs so not sure when I can do it that I can watch. I will get safety areas set up today though so at least those are set.
I had mine locked in the brooder for 2 weeks before I opened the door (mind you they were 6 weeks old when I got them) they all made their way back in on their own, for the first couple weeks they went and slept in their brooder area then one night they were on the roost and that was that
 
I had mine locked in the brooder for 2 weeks before I opened the door (mind you they were 6 weeks old when I got them) they all made their way back in on their own, for the first couple weeks they went and slept in their brooder area then one night they were on the roost and that was that
Thanks. Mine have been there for almost 3 weeks now and were a week old when they went out there. so hopefully it will be good. hoping around 5 weeks to be able to open the door and let them go.........
 
Some pics of my run with spots to hide in. Does this look ok? I need to build a step for them to hide under in the coop and maybe one for middle of the run? Thinking if I block off most of the side showing under the chair that works too.

Hoping it will go well since my crew has met the newly hatched chicks that are with mama and haven't done anything. A couple times mama wasn't even around when they were seeing the babies
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20220512_153454390_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20220512_153454390_HDR.jpg
    1,017.7 KB · Views: 2
  • IMG_20220512_153441741_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20220512_153441741_HDR.jpg
    1 MB · Views: 2
  • IMG_20220512_153354899_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20220512_153354899_HDR.jpg
    896.6 KB · Views: 2
  • IMG_20220512_153346717_HDR.jpg
    IMG_20220512_153346717_HDR.jpg
    627.8 KB · Views: 2
  • IMG_20220512_153331600.jpg
    IMG_20220512_153331600.jpg
    807.1 KB · Views: 2
once I let them out into the run to run around etc. will they know to go in on their own since they were brooded out there? or will they follow the big ones into the coop at night? I had to put my other ones in for the first few nights to teach them so will I need to do the same with these guys?
Since I've lost track of things... are you brooding in the coop or the run? As a general rule they'll head back to wherever the brooder is located.

If you brooded in the run but want them to start using the coop, once they're mostly integrated outside and you feel safe having them all together, what I do is lock the chicks out of the in-run brooder and then cage the chicks inside the coop, and after a few days they'll follow the adults in.
 
Since I've lost track of things... are you brooding in the coop or the run? As a general rule they'll head back to wherever the brooder is located.

If you brooded in the run but want them to start using the coop, once they're mostly integrated outside and you feel safe having them all together, what I do is lock the chicks out of the in-run brooder and then cage the chicks inside the coop, and after a few days they'll follow the adults in.
the brooder is in the coop under the poop boards. :) So hopefully that is where they will go to.

I have started to make a bigger area for them by opening the brooder door and blocking off a section with a child gate (the plastic ones that have different panels and you can make different shapes with them)..... well they find a way to sneak out here and there and then get stuck in the coop. I think some of the bigger ones have been in when one or two have done this and no issues. But the ones that have managed to sneak out have stayed in the coop so far. If I get time to sit out there with them tomorrow I may make their safety door for the brooder and at least let them in the coop for a bit with no gate up.
 
the brooder is in the coop under the poop boards. :) So hopefully that is where they will go to.

I have started to make a bigger area for them by opening the brooder door and blocking off a section with a child gate (the plastic ones that have different panels and you can make different shapes with them)..... well they find a way to sneak out here and there and then get stuck in the coop. I think some of the bigger ones have been in when one or two have done this and no issues. But the ones that have managed to sneak out have stayed in the coop so far. If I get time to sit out there with them tomorrow I may make their safety door for the brooder and at least let them in the coop for a bit with no gate up.
Ya, mine were coop mongers for a couple weeks, then they finally started venturing outside
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom