Temporary daytime-only “run” containment for chicks?

[Birdpants]

Hi friends. I suspect my 2 egger chicks and 3 Serama chicks will be ready for some outdoor time before my yard and the run will be ready for them. I have a two part question about this:

1) Could I use a bottomless pop-up mosquito net tent as a temporary enclosure, if I anchor it down? (See photo) I’m sure a hawk or cat could tear through the netting so maybe I would only have them in it if I was with them, but at least they could have some outdoor time. They’re about 2-3 weeks old and run won’t be done probably for another two weeks.

2) My yard recently had a lot of concrete torn out and I don’t trust the dirt is safe. What can i safely put in their outdoor area? Sod? Regular organic topsoil? 50/50 organic topsoil/compost mix? Cover it with plain wood mulch? Or not?

open to any and all suggestions.

THANKS!

 

[mcdze]

i dunno .. doesnt look like it would last very long nor be safe if something gets after them ... i would just construct something .. if its warm out i start sticking them out in a shady spot after a couple of weeks during the day ... they get alot of handle time to getting transferred back and forth and its not long before theyll just sit on your arm ... makes for good 'customer relations' lol ...

 

[NatJ]

1) Could I use a bottomless pop-up mosquito net tent as a temporary enclosure, if I anchor it down? (See photo) I’m sure a hawk or cat could tear through the netting so maybe I would only have them in it if I was with them, but at least they could have some outdoor time. They’re about 2-3 weeks old and run won’t be done probably for another two weeks.

If you are with them, probably yes.

Is this in a fenced yard? Because a big dog could knock that over or tear through it even if you were right there. And it only takes one "oops" of a dog running through a door or slipping out of their collar...

2) My yard recently had a lot of concrete torn out and I don’t trust the dirt is safe. What can i safely put in their outdoor area? Sod? Regular organic topsoil? 50/50 organic topsoil/compost mix? Cover it with plain wood mulch? Or not?

Sod, maybe. You don't want pesticides or week killers, or some kinds of fertilizers, in it.

Yes to topsoil, compost, wood mulch, wood chips, wood shavings.
Any other toxic material that will eventually decompose and is not toxic, also yes.

Be a little careful adding wet things. You want it to stay mostly dry, so it does not smell bad. For example, it is fine to give watermelon rinds to the chickens. They will eat some of the watermelon, and the rest can join the other composting materials in the run. But if the rinds start building up into a soggy pile, spread them around and let them dry out a bit before adding even more.

 

[junior67]

I am trying to figure out something with out a bottom that I can sit outside with my chicks on a warm day. We are already spending a TON on the coop/run, I got the crate (which we will use at some point for a puppy so that worked out well) and we have had a bunch of non chick related stuff come up that a lot of $ has been spent so not sure I want to buy anything else. I did find a puppy play yard on Walmart.com for like $26 but not sure I can fit in with them or if they can fit through the bars so may have to block them with that...... not sure what to do so they can spend time outside on warm days...........

 

[Birdpants]

If you are with them, probably yes.

Is this in a fenced yard? Because a big dog could knock that over or tear through it even if you were right there. And it only takes one "oops" of a dog running through a door or slipping out of their collar...



Sod, maybe. You don't want pesticides or week killers, or some kinds of fertilizers, in it.

Yes to topsoil, compost, wood mulch, wood chips, wood shavings.
Any other toxic material that will eventually decompose and is not toxic, also yes.

Be a little careful adding wet things. You want it to stay mostly dry, so it does not smell bad. For example, it is fine to give watermelon rinds to the chickens. They will eat some of the watermelon, and the rest can join the other composting materials in the run. But if the rinds start building up into a soggy pile, spread them around and let them dry out a bit before adding even more.

Great advice, thank you so much. Yes, totally high fenced all around! I live in an urban area so no random dogs, but a couple times the last few years I’ve had a cat wander through, and there are crows in a nearby tree and frequently hawks way overhead. I have raccoon footprints on my patio furniture so I know those guys show up at night, but the birds will be indoors at night, so really cats and hawks I think are my primary daytime concern.

 

[Birdpants]

I am trying to figure out something with out a bottom that I can sit outside with my chicks on a warm day. We are already spending a TON on the coop/run, I got the crate (which we will use at some point for a puppy so that worked out well) and we have had a bunch of non chick related stuff come up that a lot of $ has been spent so not sure I want to buy anything else. I did find a puppy play yard on Walmart.com for like $26 but not sure I can fit in with them or if they can fit through the bars so may have to block them with that...... not sure what to do so they can spend time outside on warm days...........

It’s hard to figure out isn’t it? I was not fully prepared for quite *all* the chicken expenses

 

[rosemarythyme]

Skip the sod, they're usually heavily dosed with fertilizers, and folks have lost chickens that get tangled in the netting they're often planted on.

Yes to natural wood chips/mulch or plain top soil.

 

[junior67]

It’s hard to figure out isn’t it? I was not fully prepared for quite *all* the chicken expenses

so hard to figure out. I pretty much had the chicken expenses down since I had been researching for a year. but I upped my # of chicks so made the coop bigger, ok planned to make it bigger before I upped # of chicks LOL, so the cost of that went up which I didn't fully account for........ But it is mainly the other extra stuff that has come up recently that wasn't expected. But I wasn't thinking about taking them out on warm days and where to put them when I did that. I don't want them in a box where they can't feel the ground so just not sure what to do......

 

[Birdpants]

Skip the sod, they're usually heavily dosed with fertilizers, and folks have lost chickens that get tangled in the netting they're often planted on.

Yes to natural wood chips/mulch or plain top soil.

Super super helpful, Rosemary! Thank you so much.

 

[Birdpants]

so hard to figure out. I pretty much had the chicken expenses down since I had been researching for a year. but I upped my # of chicks so made the coop bigger, ok planned to make it bigger before I upped # of chicks LOL, so the cost of that went up which I didn't fully account for........ But it is mainly the other extra stuff that has come up recently that wasn't expected. But I wasn't thinking about taking them out on warm days and where to put them when I did that. I don't want them in a box where they can't feel the ground so just not sure what to do......

If you come up with any good inexpensive solutions let me know!