The retiring three month have been memorable ones , full of discovery , growth , and — if you ’re like me — dozens ( hundreds ? ) of photos of your infant chicks as they transform from fluffy babe to gawky juvenile . You ’ve had to move your uprise flock to a big brooder one or more time . The day has eventually come for one more move — into the coop .
That ’s correct , it ’s time for your birds to move into their permanent home . You ’re taking them to the henhouse you lovingly and painstakingly prepared for them a while back .
Before you transport your birds to their new digs , however , you ’ll want to survey these four mesmerism to make the transition go as smoothly as potential .
Final Walk-Through
If you ’ve had your coop equipped and ready to go for months , you ’ll desire to thoroughly inspect it prior to moving your birds in . Check the interior — floors , walls and ceiling — for condensation , water streaks or any kind of wet .
These are signs that your hencoop roof might be leak out or that the hencoop ’s joints , windows or threshold are not weather fast .
Carefully inspect your roof for minute openings . tote up caulking , weatherstripping or sealants along gaps in the frame and walls .
Be indisputable to thoroughly dry the hencoop ’s interior . Replace any moist bedding .
Let the sealants dry at least 24 hours and , sooner , await until it rains again to verify if your repairs hold up against the conditions .
Read more : Consider these things when buying or building your chicken coop .
Eviction Notice
It ’s quite possible that , in the time since you typeset up your coop , some squatter may have move in and made themselves at home . Wild animals always seek tax shelter . An untenanted outbuilding like a henhouse provides a perfect family for a assortment of critters .
Check under eaves and in internal upper corners for wasps ’ nest . Remember not to apply insecticide to take these . The chemicals can be toxic to your birds .
If you have an elevated henhouse , peek underneath to make certain no one claimed that space as a den . If you have a natural floor , try out it carefully for signs of labor , tunneling or burrowing . These can point anything from snakes and skunks to rats and raccoons .
Be sure to look for ants , earwig and other local insects that may have fix up house in your hencoop . If your chicken coop has gamey rafter , you may want to also control for bats .
If your coop has become a wildlife residence , you may wish to conceive holler awildlife control expert . Then thoroughly inspect your chicken coop to discover how these creatures pay off in to forestall their return once your flock take residence .
Chill Out
Even though your chicks are fully feathered , this does n’t mean you’re able to plunk them into their coop and leave behind them to the mercifulness of the elements . This is specially true if you live in a northerly or southern state where weather extreme are common .
A week before you plan on moving your juveniles out , take a temperature recital inside the coop . A well - built henhouse — particularly one that ’s insulated — should have a comfortable temperature within .
If it is too warm inside , deal open windows or add together cross ventilation to create a breeze and get the airwave circulating . Ensure your window are securely test and that any vent hole you cut are cover with one-fourth - inch hardware mesh to keep predator out .
If the temperature is too cold , look for and seal draught . And if your chicken coop is equipped with electrical energy , consider mounting ceramic heat panels on the walls to add some safe heating elements .
Recheck the internal temperature a twosome of days later to check that it ’s close to what your youngsters are used to before they move in .
Bring It Down
One mistake that those new to poultry - keeping usually make when setting up their cage is equipment placement . Feeders and waterers tend to be guarantee at tiptop appropriate for adult birds rather than for juvenile .
move to a new base is confusing enough for your little ones . ensure they can easy access what is already familiar to them .
Bring raise feeders and waterers down to your coop floor . Then adjust their acme using brick as your birds grow . If your cage ’s roost is not adjustable , moot buying — or building — a stand - alone perch you’re able to easily remove once your juveniles can jump up to their grown - up sleep place .
