6 week olds trained to go to coop at dusk!

[jenfarsh]

Great question. The way I understand it is you can offer "free choice" forever...meaning you keep the feeder full at all times. The alternative is to feed once or twice a day, but I think that is too much work! If you raise meat birds then its important to feed twice a day or they will get too fat! But laying hens I always keep their feeder full! And don't forget grit and oyster shell!

 

[Arteest763]

I was glad to read this. I have had mine in the house for 4-6 weeks and I am SOOO ready for them to go outside.It is 60s during the day and 40s at night. If I put a heat lamp in the coop, will they be ok outside? Most are all feathered but three are growing a little slower and not feathered yet. I think they were younger than the breeder was telling me.

 

[jenfarsh]

I was glad to read this. I have had mine in the house for 4-6 weeks and I am SOOO ready for them to go outside.It is 60s during the day and 40s at night. If I put a heat lamp in the coop, will they be ok outside? Most are all feathered but three are growing a little slower and not feathered yet. I think they were younger than the breeder was telling me.

I read an amazing book by Harvey Ussery... He is a brilliant flockster. He never has his chicks inside the house and actually he says they are healthier outside! I had mine in the living room for 2 weeks,purely for pleasure! And they were so much happier outside...it got in the 20's at night! They feathered out faster and roosted just fine... We baby them too much I think. Put them out! Make sure the lamp is a comfortable height and enjoy dust free living!

 

[jkhenry]

yea i sure spoil my lil girls i have 8 along with 2 ducklings this commin weekend will b coop time
and time to let them b happy chickens they will b 4 wks mayb keep heat lamp at nite for a couple weeks

 

[NestingHillsSC]

Now that is a cause for celebration. I still have some adults that won't go in.

Lock them in for a whole day or two. They will go right in after that.

 

[MaddBaggins]

I'm trying to train my 4-1/2 week olds to coop up now. They have been in the coop/run for 4 nights now. The first 2 nights, we gathered them all up just before dusk and shut them in the coop. The last 2 nights, we turned on the light to the coop and left the door open to see who would coop up. Well, last night, 5 of them went in. Tonight, my daughter and I had to gather them all up and put them in.
Temps are low 40's at night right now.

Any suggestions?

 

[jenfarsh]

I'm trying to train my 4-1/2 week olds to coop up now. They have been in the coop/run for 4 nights now. The first 2 nights, we gathered them all up just before dusk and shut them in the coop. The last 2 nights, we turned on the light to the coop and left the door open to see who would coop up. Well, last night, 5 of them went in. Tonight, my daughter and I had to gather them all up and put them in.
Temps are low 40's at night right now.

Any suggestions?

In my very limited experience: I would go out there at dusk...and they were still just sort of hanging around the pop door. Several would go in and I was happy...then one would come out again...couldn't figure it out! Until I just waited and waited, watching from the window in my living room. Eureka moment!! My version of dusk is when the sun goes down..my chicks' version of dusk is when the very last bit of light is on the verge of darkness. Every night as the days get longer, I notice they stretch their time...last night it was 630 on the dot.
I free range all day. I do not have experience with an attached run. I would venture to guess that if they stay in a covered run, they may feel its shelter enough and find a nice sleeping spot right there? It has dipped into the 20's at night here...they were off the heater at 5 weeks. They are hardy little things!

 

[Arteest763]

I finally got my chicks outside and they love it!!! I am still way too nervous to let them roam the yard (many redtail hawks here) but yesterday I let them in the yard while I cleaned out the coop and washed the tractor. They rolled and played and made me giggle. All of a sudden a shadow fell over us and it was two hawks circling overhead! I yelled COOP COOP Girls, Get in the COOP! They jumped up, wings flapping, and ran all in a line into the coop. First try, I have genius chicks. lol.

 

[jenfarsh]

I needed this fun story today, been a rough few days, I love the way these little fuzz balls make life so much sweeter! Sometimes I will hear the hawk alert while I'm out there sitting with them and I swear I search the sky and nothing...then out of nowhere it appears! They are def genius chicks!! Thanks for a great uplifting story

I finally got my chicks outside and they love it!!! I am still way too nervous to let them roam the yard (many redtail hawks here) but yesterday I let them in the yard while I cleaned out the coop and washed the tractor. They rolled and played and made me giggle. All of a sudden a shadow fell over us and it was two hawks circling overhead! I yelled COOP COOP Girls, Get in the COOP! They jumped up, wings flapping, and ran all in a line into the coop. First try, I have genius chicks. lol.

 

[cmoore333]

Mine are seven weeks old, and have been living in the coop outside for about two weeks... Before that I took them outside and brought them back in for a week (so a total of three weeks outside) boy they sure got big and feather out way more once they stayed out overnight in thier coop my question is how old should they be before I let them free range with the older birds?