We're a new chicken family with 25 ladies who are about 5 weeks old. They have been living in our kitchen in a childs swimming pool lined with hay and surrounded by 4 feet of chicken wire. They have a vairiety of log roosts in the pool. We have taken them out during the day but brought them back at night till we could get the outside accommodations more predator proof. (We live surrounded by a forest with all kinds of wildlife.) This house is their summer dwelling. It was originally built like a chicken tractor. My husband added a steep pitched roof to add perches. We planned to move it everyday, allowing them to free range when we could be out with them. The local hawk in very interested in them.
Last night they were supposed to be outside the whole night in their house. They were ok until about 8:30pm when they started huddling on top of each other. We turned on the heat lamp incase they were cold. It still seemed pretty warm. My husband made enclosed sides yesterday that can be securely attached at night so they wouldnt be drafty. The heat lamp didnt seem to make much difference. They walked around a little and checked things out with the heat lamp on (red 250 W) and then went back into the corner in a huddle. Finally we carried them all back inside, sometime after 9:30. Some in our arms and some in an old cat carrier. How do we acclimated the chickens to outside night living? They are too big for the pool and can't live in the kitchen/dining room for ever. Would there be anything else we should be considering?
Last night they were supposed to be outside the whole night in their house. They were ok until about 8:30pm when they started huddling on top of each other. We turned on the heat lamp incase they were cold. It still seemed pretty warm. My husband made enclosed sides yesterday that can be securely attached at night so they wouldnt be drafty. The heat lamp didnt seem to make much difference. They walked around a little and checked things out with the heat lamp on (red 250 W) and then went back into the corner in a huddle. Finally we carried them all back inside, sometime after 9:30. Some in our arms and some in an old cat carrier. How do we acclimated the chickens to outside night living? They are too big for the pool and can't live in the kitchen/dining room for ever. Would there be anything else we should be considering?