Selling our home- how to handle chicks

[Lrowsey]

We are putting an offer down on a home, which means selling (and showing) our home. Our two week chicks are currently in a brooder in the master bath. We live in south Texas.

We live in a nice neighborhood subdivision and the back yard has 6 foot privacy fencing. While not enough to keep a raccoon out, it does eliminate dogs. We bought our coop for when they were old enough to go outside, it has hardware cloth (not chicken wire) and after reading the forums, appropriate locks.

Question: im thinking to put them in a partially shaded area in the coop, put about 24" apron of hardware cloth all around the coop, and plug the brinsea heater up in the roost just in case. Since they would be outside with an apron around the coop, I'd like to let them eat the grass and bugs in the run portion of the coop. That would eliminate the need for having a floor proper. Should I provide grit?

And is this a bad idea? I know of people who just start their chicks outside, but this is our first little flock.

 

[sumi]

First of all, welcome to BYC!

When I got my very first chickens I was a complete noob and didn't' even know they were supposed to be kept warm! (In my defence, it was an unexpected, unplanned purchase). I kept mine indoors for the first 2 days and then moved them outside full time and they thrived. It was warm enough for them out there that time of the year (summer) and they did well foraging in the hastily thrown together run and coop we made for them. As long as they have shelter from from the weather and can stay warm enough during the cooler nights, they should fine out there.

If chicks have access to soil they don't need additional grit, they will find enough roughage in the soil to aid digestion.

Cats may be a problem if they are so young still, also birds of prey. So a covered run would be better for them.

This is what came to mind now, if I think of anything else I'll let you know.

Best of luck with selling your property!

 

[Lrowsey]

Thank you!

 

[Lrowsey]

An example of a coop like ours, we painted ours red and white to look like a barn.

 

[jtn42248]

We are putting an offer down on a home, which means selling (and showing) our home. Our two week chicks are currently in a brooder in the master bath. We live in south Texas.

We live in a nice neighborhood subdivision and the back yard has 6 foot privacy fencing. While not enough to keep a raccoon out, it does eliminate dogs. We bought our coop for when they were old enough to go outside, it has hardware cloth (not chicken wire) and after reading the forums, appropriate locks.

Question: im thinking to put them in a partially shaded area in the coop, put about 24" apron of hardware cloth all around the coop, and plug the brinsea heater up in the roost just in case. Since they would be outside with an apron around the coop, I'd like to let them eat the grass and bugs in the run portion of the coop. That would eliminate the need for having a floor proper. Should I provide grit?

And is this a bad idea? I know of people who just start their chicks outside, but this is our first little flock.

South Texas temps sould be fine for the chicks at two weeks of age. The evenings may be a bit cool for the first week or two but with the heater they should do fine. Of more concern might be daytime heat. So make sure they have plenty of shade to get in and out of the direct sun. Like sumi said, secure the pen as much as you can. Even if you think something can not get to them I can almost assure you something will at least try. Either put hardware cloth down as flooring or run a 2 foot apron around the coop to keep anything from digging under as well.

Good luck and the best on the house deal.