Tent for Temporary Coop???

[Madie'sOddFlock]

Okay, this might be a stupid question to ask but I've looked it up and haven't found anything that quite answers my question...
I need a way to introduce my teenagers to my adults and I'd like to give them space inside the adult run. Sectioning off the big coop just isn't an option, moving the teenage coop into the run is way too much of a hassle, and I don't really want to dish out the money for a small like TSC style coop.
So... I was thinking a camping tent in the run, with a section of the run portioned off for them. The run is made from chain link dog kennel and I haven't had any issues with predators and don't foresee any issues so I'm not worried about predators getting in, the temperatures are starting to drop off(and it's Maine) so I'm not worried about overheating, plus they'll only be kept inside at night. The run is pretty heavily shaded so I'm not worried about sun damage. I'll probably only use this tent once, and it'll probably only be for like a week, maybe up to a month. Just long enough to acclimate the two groups before I move the teenagers over so they don't freeze if snow flies.

Ideas? Issues? Questions? Good idea/okay idea/horrible idea

Thanks,
Madie

 

[FunClucks]

Okay, this might be a stupid question to ask but I've looked it up and haven't found anything that quite answers my question...
I need a way to introduce my teenagers to my adults and I'd like to give them space inside the adult run. Sectioning off the big coop just isn't an option, moving the teenage coop into the run is way too much of a hassle, and I don't really want to dish out the money for a small like TSC style coop.
So... I was thinking a camping tent in the run, with a section of the run portioned off for them. The run is made from chain link dog kennel and I haven't had any issues with predators and don't foresee any issues so I'm not worried about predators getting in, the temperatures are starting to drop off(and it's Maine) so I'm not worried about overheating, plus they'll only be kept inside at night. The run is pretty heavily shaded so I'm not worried about sun damage. I'll probably only use this tent once, and it'll probably only be for like a week, maybe up to a month. Just long enough to acclimate the two groups before I move the teenagers over so they don't freeze if snow flies.

Ideas? Issues? Questions? Good idea/okay idea/horrible idea

Thanks,
Madie

Since you're building inside a dog kennel, I'd go with chicken wire instead of a tent. It's cheaper, more durable, and easier to manage/manipulate. A tarp can be put over top if desired, or flat panels to shed rain. Use a few U-posts or similar to delineate the area you want the teenage chickens to be in, attach the chicken wire to the sides and top of the area you're partitioning off. You can use a wire gate or dog crate wire divider to provide a door, use carrabiners to keep door shut. Landscaping stakes to secure chicken wire to the ground. Zip ties or wire to secure chicken wire to posts, kennel edges, and door. When you're done, it's cheap enough to trash it, and only takes a few minutes to cut zip ties and pull up stakes/posts. Big and little chickens can see each other and interact through the wire. Doesn't care about the rain. No risks of chickens eating the wire as there might be with fabric.

Attached is an example of how I used chicken wire to section off part of my run for a broody hen and babies. We would bend back the chicken wire at the very front where the carabiner is and crawl in to check on her. Secured wire in place in front with firewood on it. I did this same idea in a larger fashion across half my dog kennel run, and put a door in using the metal wire panel as a door.

Door example from Lowes.

 

[Madie'sOddFlock]

Since you're building inside a dog kennel, I'd go with chicken wire instead of a tent. It's cheaper, more durable, and easier to manage/manipulate. A tarp can be put over top if desired, or flat panels to shed rain. Use a few U-posts or similar to delineate the area you want the teenage chickens to be in, attach the chicken wire to the sides and top of the area you're partitioning off. You can use a wire gate or dog crate wire divider to provide a door, use carrabiners to keep door shut. Landscaping stakes to secure chicken wire to the ground. Zip ties or wire to secure chicken wire to posts, kennel edges, and door. When you're done, it's cheap enough to trash it, and only takes a few minutes to cut zip ties and pull up stakes/posts. Big and little chickens can see each other and interact through the wire. Doesn't care about the rain. No risks of chickens eating the wire as there might be with fabric.

Attached is an example of how I used chicken wire to section off part of my run for a broody hen and babies. We would bend back the chicken wire at the very front where the carabiner is and crawl in to check on her. Secured wire in place in front with firewood on it. I did this same idea in a larger fashion across half my dog kennel run, and put a door in using the metal wire panel as a door.

Door example from Lowes.View attachment 3650954

100% agree with most of what you said, and I was thinking of just covering a rabbit cage that I have with a tarp, which sounds closer to what you're saying. I planned on giving them a portion of the run separated with chicken wire, not just the tent. I just wanted the tent as the actual coop/area out of the elements. Oh and to clarify I mean like a camping dome tent not like a party tent or something like that. But you did bring up a good point and now I'd be a little worried about them trying to eat the tent, although I'm not sure it'd be much different with a tarp and a tent would give them significantly more room...
Idk pretty much just tossing around ideas right now I need to throw something together but it's not going to be pretty no matter what it is.

 

[Penpal]

I think it would be cheaper and in the long run more useful after it was a chicken coop if you got two small tarps and clipped them to a clothesline. You could use pegs in the grommets to anchor to the ground, which is what you'd do anyway with a tent. Or, just run more clothesline in the bottom grommets.

Did nobody else ever make a tent with a sheet and clothesline?

 

[Madie'sOddFlock]

I think it would be cheaper and in the long run more useful after it was a chicken coop if you got two small tarps and clipped them to a clothesline. You could use pegs in the grommets to anchor to the ground, which is what you'd do anyway with a tent. Or, just run more clothesline in the bottom grommets.

Did nobody else ever make a tent with a sheet and clothesline?

You make a good point but given the space that I'm using I don't think it's feasible, plus I'm trying to have a way to still shut them in at night which seems like it would be a hassle... but maybe I'm overthinking it.

Also maybe I could combine both ideas, closing the ends off with chicken wire(or other fencing), with a door on one end, and close them in that way...

Well, I've made up my mind and I know what I'm going to try now thank you both @Penpal and @FunClucks. I'll update with what the product is, and how well it worked for the sake of other people.

Edit to add: I'm actually not 100% now because it dawned on me that I want the ends closed... I don't want that much air flow so they'll actually stay warm... but maybe I just worry too much???

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't want that much air flow so they'll actually stay warm... but maybe I just worry too much???

You said "teenagers" - how old are the birds you're adding? What are your temperatures like?

If they're actually teens they don't need to be kept warm in any way, you just need them separated for time being while doing see but no touch.

As far as how I keep chicks separate, an "enclosure" of chicken wire (literally just a circle of wire that's tied together at the ends) has worked just fine for me, temporarily, but I only integrate chicks, not older birds, so it's not quite the same.

 

[Madie'sOddFlock]

You said "teenagers" - how old are the birds you're adding? What are your temperatures like?

If they're actually teens they don't need to be kept warm in any way, you just need them separated for time being while doing see but no touch.

As far as how I keep chicks separate, an "enclosure" of chicken wire (literally just a circle of wire that's tied together at the ends) has worked just fine for me, temporarily, but I only integrate chicks, not older birds, so it's not quite the same.

View attachment 3651313

I think I tend to forget(with the help of my boyfriend who's raising chicks for the first time and is horribly overprotective) that they could be perfectly happy living in the trees.

The lady I got them off of said they were 9-10 weeks old but when I went to pick them up I realized they were probably more like 4-10 weeks old... very varied ages...
That was 4 weeks ago... and I'm still 100% not sure how old they really are, I'm guessing the oldest are actually closer to 10/12 weeks now not 14. Long story short they are all fully feathered. We've definitely been getting some colder nights. But right now all I can see on the forecast is about 50 degrees nights. I think we have gotten down to about 40. Days have been anywhere from low 60s to low 80s... they've been happy in their wooden coop but I'm not so sure how well they'll do in a makeshift thing

 

[rosemarythyme]

I think I tend to forget(with the help of my boyfriend who's raising chicks for the first time and is horribly overprotective) that they could be perfectly happy living in the trees.

The lady I got them off of said they were 9-10 weeks old but when I went to pick them up I realized they were probably more like 4-10 weeks old... very varied ages...
That was 4 weeks ago... and I'm still 100% not sure how old they really are, I'm guessing the oldest are actually closer to 10/12 weeks now not 14. Long story short they are all fully feathered. We've definitely been getting some colder nights. But right now all I can see on the forecast is about 50 degrees nights. I think we have gotten down to about 40. Days have been anywhere from low 60s to low 80s... they've been happy in their wooden coop but I'm not so sure how well they'll do in a makeshift thing

Even on the young side they're well old enough to be out without too much protection. Something like a large cardboard box weighed down to provide a spot out of the wind would really be all they need during day time.

At those temperatures I'd be comfortable with 4 week olds fully off heat outside.

 

[Madie'sOddFlock]

UPDATE: I ended up putting up some chicken wire on t-posts and attached to the chain link of the run inside with the rest of the flock. I had a rabbit cage that I covered with a tarp and they were quite happy. Some of the older girls and eventually one of the boys flew in to hang out with them, and after about a week I moved them into the big coop. They've done wonderfully with little to no issues.