When do chicks need a coop?

[Red_Star_Mama]

Hi! I'm new around here, but I had a quick question: My roommate & I got 3 chicks from tractor supply (I know...) and we're pretty sure they're red stars. Anyway, they've been living on our screened in porch w/ bedding, food/water, a pet carrier to hide in, and a heat lamp, and they're doing great so far. We were just wondering when they will be old enough to move out of the porch and into the yard, if that's even a good idea! We've seen lots of chicken coop designs & stuff, but we aren't sure what the purpose of the coop is exactly...Do they run around the yard & go to the coop at night, or do they live in it all the time? Thanks for any help you can offer, about this and basic chicken care in general!!

 

[r-l-newell]

Quote:
The chicken coop is for the chickens to stay in at night and to lay their eggs in nesting boxes and to keep them in out of the weather and away from predators. They usually are in the coop in the evenings. It is usually where they roost at during the night. They also use it periodically during the day when they are not in the chicken run and will stay there to get out of the rain and cold weather and such. As long as they have a good secure environment to get out of the elements and roost at night they will be happy. Since you only have three chicks you don't need that big of a chicken coop to keep them in and they should be fine. Hope this helps you. We are here to help in any way we can.


You can get a good book about raising chickens at Tractor Supply in their books section that covers just about everything you need to know about raising chickens. Also, this web site has all kinds of answers to your questions if you will browse around the site and enter the question in the Goggle section of the site and if its ever been covered it will pop up on there.