how and when to transition baby chicks into new coop

[farmdreamer18]

Hi, I really need advice on this one, so thank you in advance for reading this, I welcome your responses.
I have 5 sweet Wyandotte baby hens. They will be 5 weeks old on Tuesday. (I have no experience raising anything other than human children and grandchildren). I had them in a large wash bin with a light initially and then graduated them to a large rubbermaid container and recently I added a piece of wood across the top for a roost and a garden mesh frame for height and to keep them from hoping or flying around my family room.
Most days (not when its raining, I live in Chicago, and we have had some rain lately) I put them in a mesh run (about 4x8x4 feet). It's on new sod that is around 4 weeks old. I alternate that run with a coop/run I bought and put together on the grass across from the mesh run. (Sentinel Chicken Coop) 36"x75" run with a coop and nesting boxes above the run. Hardware cloth under the sod the coop is sitting on and reinforced up the sides of the run.
When they are in my house in the rubbermaid, they love the roost and even began sleeping on it the past few days. I made a ramp for them to reach it. When they are in the Sentinel they only go up till the second steep, and don't go in the coop part at all. Once I put a few of them in from the side entrance and they quickly made their way back to the coop part.
Yesterday I put them in the Sentinel in the afternoon and I got back home much later than expected, around 8 o'clock. When I got back I could see from my back deck that there was a skunk near the run and they were gathered near the entrance making noise. They didn't know to go to the coop and hide. I waited till the skunk left and quickly put the chickies in their rubbermaid in the house. I could tell they were frightened so I soothed each one of them till they were calm. But this gave me real perspective that they don't have the instinct to go away from the danger.
They have a lot of feathers, and are getting bigger every day.
Are they too young to be in the coop overnight?
If not how do I get them comfortable with the coop?
I'm definitely enjoying them in the house. Even my husband, who was not into the concept at all, is entertained by them and enjoys their company.
I am leaving town for a week in the end of August and I need to set up an easy maintenance plan for my son to take over. Bringing them in and out of the house daily, solo, is not so easy, its a 2 person job.
Below are some pictures.
Thank you,
Farmdreamer18

 

[wrathsfarm]

As long as the coop and run is predator proof, they can go outside.
I would put them out in the morning, let them adventure all day and then at dusk either coax them into the coop with scratch or their favorite treat. Or manually put them in and lock it up. You may have to do this a few nights but they will catch on.

How big is the coop, in feet? I'm questioning that coop being too small for 5 birds.

You want 4 SQ ft per bird at a minimum with your winters.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

At 4 weeks put them outside. They will go into the coop when they need to just need time to get used to it.

 

[farmdreamer18]

As long as the coop and run is predator proof, they can go outside.
I would put them out in the morning, let them adventure all day and then at dusk either coax them into the coop with scratch or their favorite treat. Or manually put them in and lock it up. You may have to do this a few nights but they will catch on.

How big is the coop, in feet? I'm questioning that coop being too small for 5 birds.

You want 4 SQ ft per bird at a minimum with your winters.

This sounds like a good plan. I just don't want them to be afraid. should I put a night light?
Do I put there food and water I the coop?
Also, I agree with you, I don't think the coop I have is big enough. I bought plans to build a full height bigger coop. about 9 feet by 5 feet by 6 feet tall with coop and run.

 

[farmdreamer18]

At 4 weeks put them outside. They will go into the coop when they need to just need time to get used to it.

I was especially worried that they didn't go in when they saw the skunk!

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I was especially worried that they didn't go in when they saw the skunk!

If the run and coop are predator safe there is nothing to worry about. My chickens don’t even blink twice at skunks.

 

[wrathsfarm]

This sounds like a good plan. I just don't want them to be afraid. should I put a night light?
Do I put there food and water I the coop?
Also, I agree with you, I don't think the coop I have is big enough. I bought plans to build a full height bigger coop. about 9 feet by 5 feet by 6 feet tall with coop and run.

My opinion...no light. They'll know to put themselves somewhere in a corner if they don't roost the first few nights. Let the sun go down. That's their bed timer. I've read chickens need full darkness and lights upset them.
If the coop is small your going to be cramped for space, as long as your not letting them stay in too long in the a.m., Id leave the feed and water in the run. Or better yet take feed/water in with you and out with you ...to not attract predators/mice/rats to the run.

If your building a bigger coop and doing it yourself or having it built by a contractor. Save time, labor and money by thinking even numbers in the construction. All your board footage typically sold 8',10', 12' etc... your wall/floor/roof sheeting starts at 4' x 8'.

So for instance, you want a 10' x 8' coop. Your 8' and 10' lumber is already mostly pre- cut to size with a slight waste as it's normally sold 1/2" long.
Sheeting your 8' side is 2 full sheets, zero waste except your height. On the 10' side 5 sheets will do both sides with 1 cut in half. Again...zero waste except for your height.
If you want to stay that relative size, I would round your plans to 10' x 6'.

 

[farmdreamer18]

My opinion...no light. They'll know to put themselves somewhere in a corner if they don't roost the first few nights. Let the sun go down. That's their bed timer. I've read chickens need full darkness and lights upset them.
If the coop is small your going to be cramped for space, as long as your not letting them stay in too long in the a.m., Id leave the feed and water in the run. Or better yet take feed/water in with you and out with you ...to not attract predators/mice/rats to the run.

If your building a bigger coop and doing it yourself or having it built by a contractor. Save time, labor and money by thinking even numbers in the construction. All your board footage typically sold 8',10', 12' etc... your wall/floor/roof sheeting starts at 4' x 8'.

So for instance, you want a 10' x 8' coop. Your 8' and 10' lumber is already mostly pre- cut to size with a slight waste as it's normally sold 1/2" long.
Sheeting your 8' side is 2 full sheets, zero waste except your height. On the 10' side 5 sheets will do both sides with 1 cut in half. Again...zero waste except for your height.
If you want to stay that relative size, I would round your plans to 10' x 6'.

No lights, got it. There is a "window" with hardware cloth on top of the coop, that will probably let in some light from the house.
What is a good morning time to take them out of the coop and bring them back there food and water?
This is really good info on the coop, wow!
I am planning on building it myself. Unfortunately I am working within the parameters of a tall wood fence, a custom wood trellis my son made and tree trunks from trees that were planted just a few years ago. But this is good info to know in general.

 

[wrathsfarm]

No lights, got it. There is a "window" with hardware cloth on top of the coop, that will probably let in some light from the house.
What is a good morning time to take them out of the coop and bring them back there food and water?
This is really good info on the coop, wow!
I am planning on building it myself. Unfortunately I am working within the parameters of a tall wood fence, a custom wood trellis my son made and tree trunks from trees that were planted just a few years ago. But this is good info to know in general.

Everyone's different on a set schedule. I don't let mine out until 8-9 am normally but I've got predators and I immediately free range my mixed flock in the morning and keep my other flock in the run until after noon. I also have roosters.

If your keeping them in that predator proof run. You could either let them out at daybreak or after their coop trained you could leave the pop door open and they can let themselves go in and out at will. Depending on your setup (you mentioned fence) I would let them into the run anytime after daybreak if your confident of their safety and then let them out into the yard to free range whenever you feel like if that's your choice.

Just to add.. if your building your coop? Do a 'coop build thread' and we can all follow along and give insight.

More than happy to help with any questions you have along the way.

 

[farmdreamer18]

Everyone's different on a set schedule. I don't let mine out until 8-9 am normally but I've got predators and I immediately free range my mixed flock in the morning and keep my other flock in the run until after noon. I also have roosters.

If your keeping them in that predator proof run. You could either let them out at daybreak or after their coop trained you could leave the pop door open and they can let themselves go in and out at will. Depending on your setup (you mentioned fence) I would let them into the run anytime after daybreak if your confident of their safety and then let them out into the yard to free range whenever you feel like if that's your choice.

Just to add.. if your building your coop? Do a 'coop build thread' and we can all follow along and give insight.

More than happy to help with any questions you have along the way.

Between 8-9am sounds good to me. Just to clarify, it is ok for them at 5 weeks to not have food or water from dusk until then? And in the winter when it gets dark as early as 4 then what? Or should I put in coop when it gets dark so earlier then 6 or 7?
Thank you for your advice! this is all great.