Safe to go to the coop?

[Happy hen lover]

Would you recommend letting them in the run and the coop or just the coop to begin with?

I would leave in coop for at least 1 week so they could learn that it's home. They're dummy's about going back to coop at dark. So work with them, get them used to you being the bearer of good things. I use a nightlight to intice them back to coop.
p. s. I use pine bedding " mini" flakes .

 

[WhoDatChick]

How are your babies doing?

 

[woodshouseof4]

The weather is all over the place in Ohio. The night we planned on putting them out it got to the 40s and I was a nervous wreck so we brought them in.

 

[nuthatched]

The weather is all over the place in Ohio. The night we planned on putting them out it got to the 40s and I was a nervous wreck so we brought them in.

Put them back out. they aren't going to freeze

 

[FrostRanger]

Would you recommend letting them in the run and the coop or just the coop to begin with?

I would let them in the run and just gather them in the coop at dusk. They'll eventually get the idea that the coop is home if you do that

 

[woodshouseof4]

I’ve been putting them in the run during the day and gathering them back up and putting back in the brooder at night.

I believe we plan on putting them out in the coop tonight. They are 5 weeks now but look to be fully feathered.

 

[SamLockwood]

At their age they're good to move outside. If you're worried about cold nights put the heat plate in with them but unless it gets below freezing they should be fine.

When you get a chance I'd double check the integrity of the run: some of the boards look like they're getting old and I prefer having lumber over the hardware cloth so that it's sandwiched between boards that are nailed together.

Long term you'll want to add some sort of a predator apron as well.

Any of the vent openings in the coop should be covered with a grate or hardware cloth. You really don't want any gaps to the outside world bigger than 1/2".

 

[woodshouseof4]

At their age they're good to move outside. If you're worried about cold nights put the heat plate in with them but unless it gets below freezing they should be fine.

When you get a chance I'd double check the integrity of the run: some of the boards look like they're getting old and I prefer having lumber over the hardware cloth so that it's sandwiched between boards that are nailed together.

Long term you'll want to add some sort of a predator apron as well.

Any of the vent openings in the coop should be covered with a grate or hardware cloth. You really don't want any gaps to the outside world bigger than 1/2".

We put hardware cloth all above the run so they are protected that way from overhead predators