Adjusting to new space?

[harice4806]

I have a 6 week old BR pullet and six 3-wk old (hopefully all) pullets. The 6 wk old is a weasel attack survivor. So she got new siblings and has been a GREAT big sister. Yesterday was day one in the outdoor brooder. Nice big space. Several roosting areas, feed, water, and heat plate. Out of anxiety from the weasel I've been checking on them a lot...including right before I go to bed. Last night and tonight when I checked the younger chicks were trying to get under the BR like a broody hen. They used the heat plate when they were inside. Are they just adjusting to their new space? I placed them under the heat plate when they went out. It's near the food. I just worry.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know where you are or your weather but it sounds like it is going great.

Three week olds can handle much cooler temperatures than many people on here think. They know that heat plate is there. If they need it they will use it.

I like your perch. It's a little fancier than mine but the same general idea.

 

[harice4806]

In NY and nights are 40s. The babies did good. I'm just a worry wart. I've never put babies out so early but they're growing so fast.

And thank you...my perches are just craft dowel rods and some scrap 2x4s. Nothing fancy!

 

[Callender Girl]

I chuckled when I read that the youngsters are trying to mold their older sister into a momma. That must be cute for you, a bit puzzling for her.

I appreciate your worry wart mentality; I have eight chick of various ages that really, really need to go outside. Last night, it dropped into the 30s again, and we have had about 3 inches of rain in the last couple of weeks. At this rate, I fear my girls will be living in the upstairs bedroom brooders until they're ready to lay!!!!!

I, too, appreciate your homemade roosts. Good job!

 

[Stacyoung13]

I chuckled when I read that the youngsters are trying to mold their older sister into a momma. That must be cute for you, a bit puzzling for her.

I appreciate your worry wart mentality; I have eight chick of various ages that really, really need to go outside. Last night, it dropped into the 30s again, and we have had about 3 inches of rain in the last couple of weeks. At this rate, I fear my girls will be living in the upstairs bedroom brooders until they're ready to lay!!!!!

I, too, appreciate your homemade roosts. Good job!

I have a 6 week old BR pullet and six 3-wk old (hopefully all) pullets. The 6 wk old is a weasel attack survivor. So she got new siblings and has been a GREAT big sister. Yesterday was day one in the outdoor brooder. Nice big space. Several roosting areas, feed, water, and heat plate. Out of anxiety from the weasel I've been checking on them a lot...including right before I go to bed. Last night and tonight when I checked the younger chicks were trying to get under the BR like a broody hen. They used the heat plate when they were inside. Are they just adjusting to their new space? I placed them under the heat plate when they went out. It's near the food. I just worry.View attachment 1767328

I have a silkie Pullet, (now 3 months), when she was 6 weeks she thought she was a momma. She was in the playpen with all the 2 week old babies and was trying to tuck all 10-2 week olds up under her little 6 week old body.

She still mothers the babies.

 

[Callender Girl]

How very sweet of your young silkie "momma." I LOVE the photos!

 

[harice4806]

I think after the trauma of losing her original flock-mates she was just so happy to not be alone. She literally took right to the new chicks and they followed her all over the indoor brooder to the food, water, heat plate. And even though she wasn't fitting under the plate she would still squeeze her fluffy butt under there with them!

 

[D-Bar-B]

I'm also a worry-wart about my chicks since this is the first time I've had babies. My original flock consists of 6 hens that were already 9-18 months old when I got them. My chicks are 3 1/2 weeks old and yesterday was their first day outside (I brought them back in for the night). We live in TX and have had 70-80 degree days with lows in the 50s-60s, but of course as soon as I decided to try outside during the day, the high/low for the next few days is 60/40. Needless to say, this worried chicken mama is keeping them inside for a couple more days.

 

[cmom]

I have noticed my baby chicks trying to get under some of the other chicks from the same hatch. Soon some will be joining other chicks that are in the chick/grow-out coop. For the first few days I keep them in the coop and after they have been in the coop and get to feel the coop is their safety place, I open a pop door and let them out to a smaller pen. At first they look out the door and them finally one will go just outside of the door but eventually they get used to their pen and when I open their pop door they run outside. I feed them in the evening so they will go into their coop with out me having to round them up. They do have a night light in their coop. Eventually I'll take the temporary fence out so they will will have more space to roam.