When to move chicks to coop- in Michigan

[Chickadooo]

My chicks are 1 week old and 2.5 weeks old. Right now it's still hot during the day, today was 87. They are set up in a brooder in my garage. 1) I'm wondering how old they need to be before I move them out to their coop. 2)Does anyone else keep their chicks in a garage? 3)What's your setup like? I'm just using a big box lined with newspaper and LOTS of pine shavings. 4)Will this be good enough until it's time to move out to coop?

Thank you in advance!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Why not move them out right now and raise them in the coop? Makes everything much easier. Or do you have other chickens in there right now and not enough space or the right configuration to set up a secure area for them?

 

[Chickadooo]

Why not move them out right now and raise them in the coop? Makes everything much easier. Or do you have other chickens in there right now and not enough space or the right configuration to set up a secure area for them?

Actually we're still in the process of building it.. And it's huge for just 10 chicks. I'll post a picture. I'm mostly trying to figure out when our coop needs to be finished by the latest... Probably the sooner the better? I guess I should've included that info in post..lol

 

[rosemarythyme]

Well... technically you should have the coop done before you get the chicks. I'm saying that as one of many, many people who built their first coop AFTER they got the chicks. It never gets done fast enough!

Yes your box in the garage should be ok until you get the coop finished (make sure the box is covered so chicks don't fly out! a piece of wire mesh should work fine), but definitely prioritize on getting the coop done.

 

[Chickadooo]

Well... technically you should have the coop done before you get the chicks. I'm saying that as one of many, many people who built their first coop AFTER they got the chicks. It never gets done fast enough!

Yes your box in the garage should be ok until you get the coop finished (make sure the box is covered so chicks don't fly out! a piece of wire mesh should work fine), but definitely prioritize on getting the coop done.

Oh we're mostly done.. just need to add more chicken wire to the top to enclose it, put up the outside door and add the bedding and what not. Thanks for the wire top tip over my current brooder.. will get on that.

 

[jolenesdad]

They’re fine for a while in your garage, may need larger or more secure brooder, but, I second that it’s better sooner. The dust you’ll get in your garage will be HORRENDOUS from 10 chicks.

 

[ame087192]

My first flock was all the same age when purchased and the were chicks. I kept them inside the house and in a brooder box. When they were smelling up my room- I moved the brooder box to the garage (weather was good and they still had a heat source)
When they were fully feathered they moved out side to the coop.

This year I bought four new chicks- but I didn’t introduce them to my existing flock until they were big enough to hold their own with my fully grown hens.
I had them in the garage in dog kennels until they were ready to introduce.
Hope this helps.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Oh we're mostly done.. just need to add more chicken wire to the top to enclose it, put up the outside door and add the bedding and what not. Thanks for the wire top tip over my current brooder.. will get on that.

Chicken wire isn't pest and predator proof, so if you did use chicken wire I'd suggest you consider reinforcing it with welded wire or hardware cloth with no wider than 1/2" openings. If you can't cover the whole thing with smaller opening wire, do at least the bottom few feet as that's where you'll have the most issues, and apron it out at least 12" (18-24" would be better) to prevent pests from digging in as well.

This year I bought four new chicks- but I didn’t introduce them to my existing flock until they were big enough to hold their own with my fully grown hens.
I had them in the garage in dog kennels until they were ready to introduce.

I added new chicks this year as well... they were raised outside in the run from the start, with a heating pad. It worked so well and was far easier to manage than a brooder inside the house that I don't plan on ever brooding anywhere else again. The chicks joined the adults in the coop before 6 weeks. Just goes to show that you have options as far as raising chicks, and that it's technically never too early to have them out.

 

[Melky]

My chicks are 1 week old and 2.5 weeks old. Right now it's still hot during the day, today was 87. They are set up in a brooder in my garage. 1) I'm wondering how old they need to be before I move them out to their coop. 2)Does anyone else keep their chicks in a garage? 3)What's your setup like? I'm just using a big box lined with newspaper and LOTS of pine shavings. 4)Will this be good enough until it's time to move out to coop?

Thank you in advance!

My chicks are 1 week old and 2.5 weeks old. Right now it's still hot during the day, today was 87. They are set up in a brooder in my garage. 1) I'm wondering how old they need to be before I move them out to their coop. 2)Does anyone else keep their chicks in a garage? 3)What's your setup like? I'm just using a big box lined with newspaper and LOTS of pine shavings. 4)Will this be good enough until it's time to move out to coop?

Thank you in advance!

I kept mine in a box with pine shavings also but in my husbands office. I put netting over the top cuz they will fly out of a 2 ft tall box. I used a heat lamp in the brooder so started at 95 degrees and weaned five degrees weekly till at 70 degrees and overnight temperatures were not below 70. At this time they are mostly feathered out as well which is important for thermoregulation. So you got two weeks to get that chic coop and hopefully run done. Is it done yet?

If your temperatures are high I would worry about overheating the chicks in the garage. My garage gets way too hot when heat is high. You may want to bring them in the house in a laundry room or space out of the way where they are not bothered or too messy. FYI I put a pad under the box in case they knock over a waterer to save floor underneath. If you do this heat lamp is advised especially if have ac.

 

[Chickadooo]

My first flock was all the same age when purchased and the were chicks. I kept them inside the house and in a brooder box. When they were smelling up my room- I moved the brooder box to the garage (weather was good and they still had a heat source)
When they were fully feathered they moved out side to the coop.

This year I bought four new chicks- but I didn’t introduce them to my existing flock until they were big enough to hold their own with my fully grown hens.
I had them in the garage in dog kennels until they were ready to introduce.
Hope this helps.

That does help, I actually have an XL dog crate in my basement that I could bring up and use.. perfect. Now the question is, what's the best method for bedding using a dog crate? It has one of those thick plastic trays on the bottom.