Having both new chicks that were growing in the garage in a brooder and chickens that are laying, it was time to rearrange and move up to a new run/coop. I’ve been using a converted metal shed as a coop for the whole winter. What I’ve learned from the experience includes that the sliding barn doors on a metal coop are not designed for chickens…. The space isn’t bad, the cost was great, and my upgrades worked too but the doors are impossible. There is something in the track all the time!
So it was time to move the chickens up to a bigger coop. Currently I also have a small coop with a run for the chicks, it’s always best to keep an area that’s separated out…. but the littles are going to get more and more cramped as time goes on. The littles started as a few ordered and multiplied to about 28 from the hatchery, 9 from Runnings and 4 from Tractor Supply. They should all be pullets — Runnings and Tractor supply are replacements for chicks that were lost to the cold from the hatchery. So far only one of those hasn’t made it yet, but the hatchery chicks had a higher attrition (about 9). Most of what I lost were the specialty breeds like silkies that didn’t do well with the cold in the garage.
I ordered a new large coop and a wood run and am excited to get it finished and the chickens moved. The…
