Setting Up an Integration Facility

[3KillerBs]

Today I opened up two sides just big enough for the chicks to squeeze through:

So far only one POL Dominique has taken enough interest in the chicks to peck at them. The full adults are ignoring them.

I've got the chick-tight inner curtain in the run but have a temporary block across the lower part of the door to discourage chicks from going out today.

 

[Sally PB]

Lots of lovely clutter! Sending positive waves that everything goes well.

 

[3KillerBs]

Lots of lovely clutter! Sending positive waves that everything goes well.

There's nothing really stopping the adults from getting into that back corner -- they can go over the playpen or over the two blocks at the end, but they don't like to be in restricted spaces like that so they're mostly staying out.

 

[RooStar Chicken Gang]

Made a area like this too when I got my "pure bred leghorns" which turned out to be Leghorn crosses... They where very young and smaller then the other chickens I had so built this area for them, it's all dismantled now but they were in there for a few months. There was this steel frame I found it had three sides if U can imagine a square just missing one side, so I put a chicken coop one of those typical pine ones where the gap was it fitted perfectly and then made a roof of chicken wire mesh with two frames which we where making for there barn / shed door. It's good idea to have such areas.

 

[3KillerBs]

Made a area like this too when I got my "pure bred leghorns" which turned out to be Leghorn crosses... They where very young and smaller then the other chickens I had so built this area for them, it's all dismantled now but they were in there for a few months. There was this steel frame I found it had three sides if U can imagine a square just missing one side, so I put a chicken coop one of those typical pine ones where the gap was it fitted perfectly and then made a roof of chicken wire mesh with two frames which we where making for there barn / shed door. It's good idea to have such areas.

Having over-sized facilities has been very, very handy.

I've got so much flexibility to work with.

(BTW, the playpen is 3'x5' -- so larger than a lot of those little "dollhouse" coops).

 

[RooStar Chicken Gang]

Just Found a picture from a while back where U can sort of see the enclosure. It's off to the right, from the picture U can get the idea at least sorta. At the time we had eggs in incubation too and another little enclosure inside for chicks could of had a rotating system in place from incubator too inside enclosure to this out side enclosure then out with other chooks free ranging, going.

 

[3KillerBs]

They're sleeping safely inside their playpen -- with some of the Ideal Dozen sitting on top of that instead of on either of the roosts. Fortunately, tonight they've gone into the sheltered corner so they won't get pooped on.

 

[Sally PB]

Having over-sized facilities has been very, very handy.

I've got so much flexibility to work with.

Space makes so many things easier!

Including getting around. I arranged my clutter so that there is a path from the run door to the coop door. I don't have to step over or around anything, and it's a straight shot through. Makes mornings and evening better for me.

The chickens can run from one end to the other, or dart off to the side if they need to get away from another chicken.

 

[3KillerBs]

Space makes so many things easier!

Including getting around. I arranged my clutter so that there is a path from the run door to the coop door. I don't have to step over or around anything, and it's a straight shot through. Makes mornings and evening better for me.

The chickens can run from one end to the other, or dart off to the side if they need to get away from another chicken.

At the moment I can't walk around the playpen because of that blocked off back corner, but I did leave myself a clear path to all the feeders and waterers and from one door to the other.

 

[My Bagurks]

Not sure how much vertical space you’re working with. I actually did something right when I overbuilt my chicken coop. But to accommodate new grown chickens and new young chicks, I used 2x4s and chicken wire. I’d take a 10 foot section of chicken wire and staple the ends to 2x4s. Imagine a 2x4 and chicken wire scroll. I made a few sections of it so I can secure one end to something then roll it out to length. I kept 4in screws screwed into the 2x4s and just zipped them in or out to mount them. I used extra long screws so I could still anchor even with a few layers of chicken wire wrapped around the board. Standing one or two sections up on edge makes a quick isolation area that’s easy to get in and out of. Works well with the wire mesh stuff too but it’s a little harder to manipulate.