1st night sleeping in the coop! And I got new babies...

[anniem]

I finally get the coop done and the chickies can live in it....and we get 4 new fluffs the same day.

don't know what I was thinking...
But i'm so nervous about the big girls (and boy)...they are 8 weeks, fully feathered, 6 of them to cuddle up...they'll be fine, right? I want to check on them but I think it'd be too disruptive, there's no light so i'd have to shine something in there and make a racket. It supposed to get down to about 45 degrees, too.
They were so noisy when it was getting dark, screaming at me to put them to bed, but quieted down pretty quickly and were huddled together in a corner when I left.

Then we got 3 1-week olds (2 speckled sussex, 1 EE) and a 3 week old PR. Which means the PR has been in the feed store bin for a couple of weeks. I did a butt check before bed and she is bare, not bloody or anything but nothing there. Those older chicks were obviously getting bored. Probably not the best age mix but...oh well. This group also seemed more stressed than I remember the first bunch being. These ones didn't run around when I put them in the brooder, didn't drink (while I was there anyway), 2 ended up panting so I went and did the beak dunk a 2nd time (they didn't drink) and they eventually laid down farther from the light. Hopefully they'll be happier in the morning.
Now I just gotta find a way to tell my hubby when he gets back in town next week.

 

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

They'll probably be fine. If you're worried that it's too cold, you could always run a heat lamp in the coop. But 45 degrees outside, it'll probably stay at least 50 inside - I wouldn't worry.

I hope the new ones perk up for you!

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

Quote:
This is normal I call it the Chicken Waltons good night, the DW calls it the end of the day gossiping

What I belive it really is they are checking to see if everyone is here and in the coop cause My older girls did it then My 5 week olds did it as well right before they all sat/layed down for the night on the roost/floor either that or they are fighing about where to sleep on the roost cause they never seem to sleep in the same place nor the same order or way on the roost the only thing that is always the same is roosters sleep with roosters and hens sleep with hens thats it (at least in my flock that is how they sleep).

 

[Zgoatlady]

they are growing up

 

[anniem]

Quote:
That's funny!

And it makes me feel better that it probably wasn't a "where the hell did you leave us" squawking.

My toddler had an awful night so that kept me from being able to worry about the chicks, my sleep deprivation lent itself to an "eh, they'll be fine" attitude. But when I went out this morning they had made their way down the ramp on their own! (we have a wire enclosed area and then the solid henhouse part within that). i was so proud.

And they loved their intro to oatmeal this morning so hopefully they are happy campers.

And the new babies were perked up this morning, amazing how calm they are when not in a feed store bin anymore.

Thanks for the support!
Ann

 

[nancypo]

That makes me feel better too. I'm putting mine out today, all day for the 1st time, tomorrow night for good. Supposed to be in the 30's (still) so adding some heat....

 

[nancypo]

I did notice mine do that too, at night, get loud right before it gets really quiet...