Chicks first night in the coop.....I'm a nervous wreck!

[MyShunshyn]

Well, tonight is the kids first nit in the real big kid coop, with their toasty heat lamp, and I am a nervous wreck!
Just checked on them and they are havin a PARTY! Runnin around like crazy chickens, but I am still nervous...will I ever get over it?
I know that they have to grow up and be big chickens some day but I worry

They were getting so crowded in their brooder so I had to bite the bullet and send them way out to the coop....fingers crossed

 

[ddcoyne]

I went through this (and made a very similar post) a few weeks ago! All my girls did just fine and they love their coop! Much luck to you!

 

[jackson8]

Don't worry they will be fine. I was worried the first night out for my chicks in their pen, I was up at the crack of dawn to check on them the next morning. They are at 20+ weeks and going strong.

Good luck with em....

 

[steve&kris]

Mine have been in for a week, and my wife and I are still nervous as can be. We've been leaving them to free range out of the coup (they have an acre to range, but they stay very close to the coop) for the last 3 days, and every time I go to check on them I'm terrified I'm going to find something gruesome. Too stressful. Awesome chicks though. They seem to love us and there coop.

good luck!

 

[MeowCluckBark]

You will get over it! I finally put my first 5 out at 9 weeks and 6 weeks old. It was plenty warm enough in the coop at night for them but I felt so horrible to do it. Now the next batch is 5 and 6 weeks and I already shoved them out a week ago lol. After a night they seemed just fine with it. The first night they huddled scared but after that they all climbed up on the roosts and get along famously with the bigger girls. THe newest batch isn't even 3 weeks old yet and I'm counting the days until they can go outside too. Especially the creepy little Blue Andalusian chick. I call her Cruella...

 

[BoltonChicken]

You sound a little like my sister in law, who could write a book called "100,000 things to worry about".

I put my 5 BO's in the outside coop under a light at 3 weeks, and they are doing great. As soon as the outside
temperature rises about 85 or so, I'll cut the light out. When I sneak up on them, I can hear them peeping and pecking
away happily. All is well. No worries.

 

[MyShunshyn]

I know I sound a little silly, but I take my responsibility to care for these little chickies seriously,

Anyway, the sun did rise and they are all fine.....like everyone said they would be. Just call me a helicopter Mom.
It is a little chilly outside today, 70s and raining, so they are locked up in their warm coop having a party from the sounds of it.
There are windows in the door and they peek out and watch the world go by. When they see me or hear my voice they all run to the door....LOL so cute.

Thanks for the support!

 

[ObamaBrahma]

How old are your chicks?

I'm still debating when to put mine out there with a heat lamp. They are roughly 1 or 2 weeks old (I couldn't get enough chicks of the same age). They are starting to get a bit big for their indoor brooder and my wife is getting a little irritated by the smell

 

[mcjessen]

If it makes you feel any better, our weather has been really off and on here. Last night I shut off the heat lamp thinking it was going to be in the mid-40's overnight as our day temps were decent. I got up at 4:30 this a.m., looked at the thermometer and it was 33! Oops. I turned on the heat lamp at 4:45 and opened the pop door at 6:30 and they were fine. They are 7 weeks old and fully feathered. I worried too, I still do a little, but as long as they are comfy and cozy, they'll be just fine.

 

[MyShunshyn]

Quote:
Mine are 4 1/2 weeks old today so they are right on schedule to go out...they still look so tiny in the big coop, but they are SO much happier to have all the room. Our weather has been really up and down too but they seem to be ok with the heat lamp for now and soon I should be able to get rid of that soon as temp are supposed to stay in the 70s and 80s from now on til summer.
They are not quite fully feathered but they are doing great.