Crying chicks.

[bakerjw]

Well I moved the girls into the new coop 2 days ago. I still have to get some roosts installed but I had to get them out of the garage. Well last night as it started to get dark they started making their distress noise. I went out to make sure that all was well and they simmered down when I gave them some clover but they kept looking up at the main screened in vent area near the roof. Since I've had them they've been in a screened in cage without a top and able to see all that is around them. Now they're in a big locked box with no view and obviously distressed about the entire situation. And it makes me feel terrible.

As an interim solution I put a long board in at a diagonal that they can use to get up near the double screened window to see out. Of course a new big item from the "HAND" added to the distress for a bit but they quieted down after a while.

This morning when I went to check on them I found 5 chicken faces peering out through the screen. I think that they'll be getting a high perch to be able to see out now. It was adorable.

 

[Why and Dotte]

Chicks can give a GOOD guilt trip.
Mine will cry everytime I leave the coop-STILL and I raised them out there, my two runts especially will cry when I'm not around I think I pampered them a bit.
My mail order chicks would have nothing to do with me when I first got them, so I had 13 fluffy chicks I couldn't touch and now most love my attention! it's funny how they get attached like that.

 

[HerbiLady]

My two-week olds freak out at the darkness, even when it isn't total or sudden.

I try not to leave bright lights on them at night ... they're in heated place and I can keep it warm enough ~ if I don't need a light at night for extra heat, I prefer not to have one in their brooder, even the red one. I've had a picking issue so I don't want them overstimulated and I don't want them to act miserable when they're finally introduced to life outside the brooder where it isn't broad daylight 24/7.

I turn on one light away from the brooder so it isn't pitch black in there. I'm not totally heartless

Anyway, while darkness is falling naturally (they're in front of and below a bunch of windows) some of them start that distress peeping. Some of them don't care. Last night I had to do a red heat light since it was really cold and damp and the heater wasn't doing enough. Of course, they were all sleeping and I turned it on and up they came, acting like it was morning again.

I've read about other folks saying their chicks freak out at night in the coop with the darkness so they just keep leaving lights on for them. I don't know how you wean them off of the brooder light situation into a more natural situation...it does make you feel horrible!

How cute to have them pressing their little faces against the screen... awww!