We stared our coop last weekend and hope to finish it this weekend, minus the run as our hardware cloth will not be available until Monday. I'm going to make a post about it once its complete. I have been getting step by step photos of the build. God love my husband, taking 2 weekends off working on our house to build me my coop. And yes all for the chickens!
Absolutely 4 is a flock! See how they are flocking together -- since Day 1!Day 1 and now. Is four a flock?
Soaked, cold, and sleep deprived for sure! We did get a security camera out in the coop so I didn't have to go out every 15 minutes to check on them. (My daughter thinks both I and my 'chicken cam' are nuts.) The second night we had them out they were 'piling' It took an hour to get them settled down in a single chicken layer. Since I had to put their brooder light (which just barely fit without touching anything and caused more concerns about safety) in their coop as a heat source when the temp dropped, they were much calmer. Then last night, since the temp had come up a bit, I noticed they were hiding from the warm area of the coop and panting, so back out I went to turn off the heat source and turn on the small LED light we're using to help wean them off lights at night. In the house, cleaned up, check the camera...they're 'piling' again. Back out I go to do what I can to help. I am SO glad that I'm doing this now when I am not working. I can only imagine the added stress of trying to deal with all the things and work at the same time.
LOL ----- LOL------continuing to laugh at myself through this adventure!!!
A smaller wattage light, or raise it up if you can, helps. I hoard old 100 watt incandescant light bulbs for just this situation -- a little heat for best bird friends! Another cool item is those remote thermometer temp sensors. Best new thing ever!
They are beautiful!Day 1 and now. Is four a flock?
You know that you are now a part of the flock! LOL you know, "You can check out, but you can never leave!"
I will look into those things. The temp drop came on so fast we couldn't get our hands on anything else until it was going to be over. I'm definitely starting to plan for what we may need come winter. We get everything from highs in the 60s to lows in the -teens in winter so preparing for drastic changes will be helpful, though fully feathered, older chickies should be able to handle it better than my freshly outdoored babies!
t
I think I'm crazy, let alone everyone else around me lately! I too didn't want to put my red light bulb heat lamp in the coop, fearing something would burn..... So i left it off. To be honest, i just had to look up piling. Thank goodness i didn't have to worry about that. I have not noticed it in my chicks. They really do kinda spread out, or fight over who gets to be on the perch, even though the perch is long enough for all of them to sit on comfortably. And here in Alabama I think we wont have any more nights in the 50's. I am going to invest in one of those heated board looking things and do away with the red light. I feared every night when that thing was on
t
I think I'm crazy, let alone everyone else around me lately! I too didn't want to put my red light bulb heat lamp in the coop, fearing something would burn..... So i left it off. To be honest, i just had to look up piling. Thank goodness i didn't have to worry about that. I have not noticed it in my chicks. They really do kinda spread out, or fight over who gets to be on the perch, even though the perch is long enough for all of them to sit on comfortably. And here in Alabama I think we wont have any more nights in the 50's. I am going to invest in one of those heated board looking things and do away with the red light. I feared every night when that thing was on
