Tips for temporary coop for integration

[Sarynda]

Hi all,

I'm looking for tips for a temporary coop for two new ladies coming next week. I wanted to seperate a part of my run but I can't seperate my coop. I can find teensy tiny coops online (20x24 inch), I wonder if those would do for a week? The ladies coming would be either brahmas or Orpingtons, young (4-5mo) but obviously large. I'd also like to use the temporary coop for quarantine purposes if needed.

I'm not very handy. Anyone has any tips for me?

Thanks!

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Hi all,

I'm looking for tips for a temporary coop for two new ladies coming next week. I wanted to seperate a part of my run but I can't seperate my coop. I can find teensy tiny coops online (20x24 inch), I wonder if those would do for a week? The ladies coming would be either brahmas or Orpingtons, young (4-5mo) but obviously large. I'd also like to use the temporary coop for quarantine purposes if needed.

I'm not very handy. Anyone has any tips for me?

Thanks!

I have that sized coop for integration, but for a 6- and 8-weeker (two pullets.) I think that would be way too small for two Orps.

Have you checked wire dog crates? I think you’d want one that holds a German Shepherd at a minimum. They might well be in there for two weeks, and they’ll want a roost etc.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Do you have a Petco near you? I used an XXL dog pen to integrate (which gives a 4x4 area for the newbies) and my chickens were not willing to jump over it at 48" tall.

 

[Sarynda]

I don't have a Petco near me unfortunately and most dog crates I can obtain would be the wired ones mentioned before. Is that what you mean?

@Mother of Chaos , wouldn't a wired dog crate be too cold at night? I was looking at those too. Would tarp cover it enough?

 

[Ridgerunner]

At that age, if they were protected from wind too cold would be close to or below 0 Celsius. Not going to happen in the Netherlands this time of the year. You would want something to protect them from rain.

I assume you are talking about in your run. Is your run predator safe if they are in a wire dog crate? Predators would be my concern out there, much more than the weather.

 

[Sarynda]

I'm lucky as there are no predators in my neighborhood (I'm not the only one with chickens here), as long as the coop (or crate) can close properly nothing will get to it. So if I cover it with a tarp to protect them from the rain and pop a roosting bar in they'll be fine? If need be I could even have them sleep in the house (in the crate) and move them back in the seperate part of the run again in the morning.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My preference would be to leave the crate in the coop full time if you can but the way I read your post it's too small. As long as it safe from predators I don't see the problem with leaving it in the run overnight. If you are more comfortable moving it in at night you can of course. The chicken police will not come by and arrest you.

 

[Sarynda]

No the run is plenty large! I was genuinely worried about the temperature but I guess that would be fine. What size crate would I be looking at?

 

[Ridgerunner]

To me, the larger the better. I build mine and make them bigger. But for two 5 month old pullets, I'd want something like a 60 cm x 90 cm (2 ft x 3 ft). You can probably get by with something smaller but this is not an exact science. Each one is an individual with its own preferences.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

No the run is plenty large! I was genuinely worried about the temperature but I guess that would be fine. What size crate would I be looking at?

Are you in the Netherlands then? I missed that.

I’ll show some wire dog crates that are available here and get them into metric measurements, just for ideas. They have a removable rigid tray underneath, so the birds aren’t standing on wire. A folded tarp above should keep out the rain. If they’re used to a dark coop, maybe unfold it enough to partially cover the sides (they might feel cozier.)

Also, will the Buff Orpingtons already know one another? - so that they’re already acquainted and comfortable.

These below would serve to sleep in, although certainly not for exercise. You’d want to partition off part of the run for their use.

https://www.chewy.com/midwest-ovation-single-door/dp/102200
^^ This one is 122cm x 79cm, 84cm high. The picture shows a Golden Retriever inside, although I don’t think it’s full-grown.

https://www.chewy.com/midwest-icrate-fold-carry-single-door/dp/45368
^^ This one is of similar dimensions, with a German Shepherd dog inside. (barely)