New Sshhhiickenn Parents

[HerrgesellHenHouse]

I'm so excited to have joined this sweet community. I had chickens growing up running around the farm but was never really involved in their development. In our late 30's my hubby and I have decided to embark on chicken parenthood. We ordered 5 blue eggers (surplus) and 3 dark brahmas from Cackle Hatchery. My husband built our chicken coop this last fall and we will be finishing it up as soon as the snow breaks. Brooder box decisions in the works. Trying to decide to do a built in brooder box inside the coop or something in our garage because we are extremely cold during these months.

 

[User690263]

Welcome to BYC!
If I were you I would put the brooder box in the garage just to be on the safe side, though they would prefer be ok in the coop so long as they have a heat source.

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[HerrgesellHenHouse]

Welcome to BYC!
If I were you I would put the brooder box in the garage just to be on the safe side, though they would prefer be ok in the coop so long as they have a heat source.

Thank you so much!!

 

[Logar]

I'm so excited to have joined this sweet community. I had chickens growing up running around the farm but was never really involved in their development. In our late 30's my hubby and I have decided to embark on chicken parenthood. We ordered 5 blue eggers (surplus) and 3 dark brahmas from Cackle Hatchery. My husband built our chicken coop this last fall and we will be finishing it up as soon as the snow breaks. Brooder box decisions in the works. Trying to decide to do a built in brooder box inside the coop or something in our garage because we are extremely cold during these months.

welcome! It’s great to have you here!

While that coop looks nice I do have a few concerns/suggestions. Firstly, it looks to be severely lacking in ventilation. You want at least 1 sq foot of open, draft free ventilation 24/7/365. And I would also recommend adding a predator apron as a lot of predators would dig right under that no problem.

 

[muddy75]

 

[HerrgesellHenHouse]

welcome! It’s great to have you here!

While that coop looks nice I do have a few concerns/suggestions. Firstly, it looks to be severely lacking in ventilation. You want at least 1 sq foot of open, draft free ventilation 24/7/365. And I would also recommend adding a predator apron as a lot of predators would dig right under that no problem.

Thank you so much. Hubby has not put ventilation in yet. This was just as far as we got until the snow hit. Predator apron? ...we are going to be placing chicken wire under the floor before we floor in the deck and then there will be chicken wire buried under. Is that acceptable? This is in the city limits fully fenced in backyard. Please advise further. I love getting all the helpful information I can. I have attached the current photo she's currently buried under lots of snow.

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you so much. Hubby has not put ventilation in yet. This was just as far as we got until the snow hit. Predator apron? ...we are going to be placing chicken wire under the floor before we floor in the deck and then there will be chicken wire buried under. Is that acceptable? This is in the city limits fully fenced in backyard. Please advise further. I love getting all the helpful information I can. I have attached the current photo she's currently buried under lots of snow.

That would be better than nothing, but rats can get through chicken wire, so we'll all recommend you use 1/2" hardware cloth. We use it to make any outdoor pens as well.

For brooders, there are a few here that will explain to you how to do it in the coop with access for them to get by the big chickens but the big chickens can't get to them.

We brood ours in DIY wooden brooders, then out to growout pens.

Here's an article about doing it in the coop.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

Welcome to BYC!!

 

[Noraaaaa]

Love your coop!!!

 

[HerrgesellHenHouse]

That would be better than nothing, but rats can get through chicken wire, so we'll all recommend you use 1/2" hardware cloth. We use it to make any outdoor pens as well.

For brooders, there are a few here that will explain to you how to do it in the coop with access for them to get by the big chickens but the big chickens can't get to them.

We brood ours in DIY wooden brooders, then out to growout pens.

Here's an article about doing it in the coop.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

Welcome to BYC!!

Thank you for the link reading now!!