Chicken_Little_AGray
Chirping
*This is my first time having chickens*
I got currently have 5 chickens. They are 9 and 8 week old chicks, who are outside.
A few weeks ago, I found a coop and got it. The friend who gave it to me didn’t give the ladder, so they have no ladder to get up to the laying section. I am still trying to figure that out. We also don’t have a roost for them up there because it didn’t come with one, and there is no room for one. It’s smaller than I would like it to be. I added 3 wood hiking sticks through the runs bars so they can roost somewhere and play. The coop is connected to the run in a funny way, so the ladder would have to have an added on portion so they can get in, let alone get up. My dad tried built me a ladder, but it didn’t work. I tried putting it in and they were scared to go near it. I can’t find the ladder sold separately, so for now they don’t have one. They are getting bigger everyday, and I want them to sleep in the coop instead of the run because they are more likely to get hurt by animals, and it’s colder. They like to sleep underneath the roost bars I added. I don’t want to block the run section off because I did that once and the thing I used fell and killed one of them. That also happens to be the only chicken that has died. A perfectly healthy 7 week old hen. Not a sick chick that died of some illness. She died because of my ignorance. Anyway, I don’t know how to get them in the coop at night. They can’t go into the coop because I don’t have a ladder, but I at least want them in the space underneath the actual coop for practice. Everyone told me they do it naturally, but mine don’t do that. I don’t know if they are too young, or if I’m just overthinking, or if it’s normal at their age.
They are on chick starter still, and I don’t know when or how to switch. Do I mix it in half and half like for dogs, or can I just switch it. I know you can’t do that for dogs but these are chickens, so it might be different. I have grit, but I haven’t given it to them because they have dirt and rocks in their run. I’m getting mixed reviews on if I should have shouldn't give it to them.
The floor of their run is dirt. There is no bedding. I heard that was okay because free range chickens don’t have bedding, but mine are not free range so I’m still doing research.
They try to run out to the grass whenever I enter the run. I let them out to eat grass and explore once, and they loved it. Ever since, they try to get out to eat the grass. In the morning, I don’t have time to chase chickens around the back yard. I also don’t know how to capture them once they get out. I kind of just make screeching sounds to scare them back into the run, but there has to be a better way. Half the time it doesn’t even work. They don’t know what treats are because I haven’t given them anything but their chick starter, as per the internet says. So they are not food motivated. I can’t have them alone in the yard because we have a dog and it’s not secure (we have a gate they can squeeze under, and a pool) If anyone knows a better way than scare them back in, please let me know.
I want the best for my chickens, and I feel like I’m not giving them that. What I’m giving them is budget. I don’t have the best run, or coop, or food. I care tremendously for my chickens, and they have such intricate personalities. One if them (Baby Girl) can take selfies on my phone, and another (Blondie) loves flipping things upside down. One of the Barnavelders likes to jump super high in the air when I come in, like a dog, and run around. They always go rushing to the door of the run when i get home and say “Hey girls!”.
They seem happy and healthy, but I feel like a bad mom. I feel like what I’m doing isn’t enough.
I got currently have 5 chickens. They are 9 and 8 week old chicks, who are outside.
A few weeks ago, I found a coop and got it. The friend who gave it to me didn’t give the ladder, so they have no ladder to get up to the laying section. I am still trying to figure that out. We also don’t have a roost for them up there because it didn’t come with one, and there is no room for one. It’s smaller than I would like it to be. I added 3 wood hiking sticks through the runs bars so they can roost somewhere and play. The coop is connected to the run in a funny way, so the ladder would have to have an added on portion so they can get in, let alone get up. My dad tried built me a ladder, but it didn’t work. I tried putting it in and they were scared to go near it. I can’t find the ladder sold separately, so for now they don’t have one. They are getting bigger everyday, and I want them to sleep in the coop instead of the run because they are more likely to get hurt by animals, and it’s colder. They like to sleep underneath the roost bars I added. I don’t want to block the run section off because I did that once and the thing I used fell and killed one of them. That also happens to be the only chicken that has died. A perfectly healthy 7 week old hen. Not a sick chick that died of some illness. She died because of my ignorance. Anyway, I don’t know how to get them in the coop at night. They can’t go into the coop because I don’t have a ladder, but I at least want them in the space underneath the actual coop for practice. Everyone told me they do it naturally, but mine don’t do that. I don’t know if they are too young, or if I’m just overthinking, or if it’s normal at their age.
They are on chick starter still, and I don’t know when or how to switch. Do I mix it in half and half like for dogs, or can I just switch it. I know you can’t do that for dogs but these are chickens, so it might be different. I have grit, but I haven’t given it to them because they have dirt and rocks in their run. I’m getting mixed reviews on if I should have shouldn't give it to them.
The floor of their run is dirt. There is no bedding. I heard that was okay because free range chickens don’t have bedding, but mine are not free range so I’m still doing research.
They try to run out to the grass whenever I enter the run. I let them out to eat grass and explore once, and they loved it. Ever since, they try to get out to eat the grass. In the morning, I don’t have time to chase chickens around the back yard. I also don’t know how to capture them once they get out. I kind of just make screeching sounds to scare them back into the run, but there has to be a better way. Half the time it doesn’t even work. They don’t know what treats are because I haven’t given them anything but their chick starter, as per the internet says. So they are not food motivated. I can’t have them alone in the yard because we have a dog and it’s not secure (we have a gate they can squeeze under, and a pool) If anyone knows a better way than scare them back in, please let me know.
I want the best for my chickens, and I feel like I’m not giving them that. What I’m giving them is budget. I don’t have the best run, or coop, or food. I care tremendously for my chickens, and they have such intricate personalities. One if them (Baby Girl) can take selfies on my phone, and another (Blondie) loves flipping things upside down. One of the Barnavelders likes to jump super high in the air when I come in, like a dog, and run around. They always go rushing to the door of the run when i get home and say “Hey girls!”.
They seem happy and healthy, but I feel like a bad mom. I feel like what I’m doing isn’t enough.
