Slightly panicked: Starting to build our Coop...just got 13 Chicks!!!

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CrazyTownChick

Songster
May 8, 2020
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KY
Yes, we know this is bass-ackwards; we got the cart before the horse or the chicks before the coop. Whatever. But Friday afternoon we brought home from Tractor Supply, 13 two-weekish old chicks and set them up all happy in the brooder (4 x 2.5 ft metal trough). Oh are they hilarious to watch. Such personalities!

We had watched a gazillion videos on coop building and read as many articles, so we have been developing and planning for about 7-9 months. Dear Hubby is an engineer, so he does a lot more planning and thinking and planning and thinking before picking up a hammer and saw. We purchased lots of lumber and OSBs. And more saws and tools. We have the initial coop frame in placed, leveled and ready for the build. Now we are MOTIVATED.

Coop will be 8 x 8, with a 8 x 20 foot run. We live in the country on a 20 acre farm (no livestock), so space and zoning is not an issue.

We figure we have about 6 weeks before we NEED to get them into the coop, even if still in the brooder within the coop. Maybe that's not an accurate guesstimate. ??One concern I have -- will 13 chicks outgrow the brooder before 6 weeks is up? I'm thinking yes. They're already very active, flap around, and cuddle a lot, but I know they grow fast. I could see them growing so fast they'll need to be separated or something before the coop's ready. We might have to make a 2nd makeshift brooder. I don't know what do you think? All pullets allegedly.
We have:
  • 1 Rhode Island Red
  • 1 Production Red (similar to RI Red? Not sure)
  • 2 Amauracanas
  • 3 CA white leghorns
  • 3 Isa Browns
  • 3 Golden Sexlinks (cross of Golden Campine? Not sure)

So that's our little flock. They are adorable, of course. Funny as heck. Hopefully I can attach some pix. Thoughts? Advice? Back in May I introduced myself as a newby in KY, new farm owners & retirees, with hopes and dreams of getting chickens. And here we are. ;):eek::wee
 

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Congratulations! Now the time push.

Yes they will quickly outgrow the brooder.
Options.....other than killing yourselves trying to build fast.......
Watermelon boxes from the grocery store
Puppy play pen set on a tarp and lined around the bottom with cardboard strips

I bought this one for my bloodhound puppy....it is super easy to set up, take down and move.
https://www.chewy.com/frisco-8-panel-plastic-dog-exercise/dp/169766

It is as tall as the kitchen counter.
 
Haha... seemsm familair, We did the same in April. 13 chicks and 16 guineas. They will outgrow the brooder quickly. we had ours in a 48x48. We moved them to a 6 feet by 8 feet enclosure when they wer 6 weeks old. They are now in a 12 x 12 horse stall with supervised free ranging. Coop is still under construction😂
 

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