Babies do NOT want to come inside!!!

[ShanCarl1971]

I got the floor built and painted, and the basic wall frames built yesterday ........ still have to frame for windows, doors, and vents, then put the roof together. I have done it ALL by myself. Need some different windows ......Re-Store is not open today, so I guess I'll have to wait til tomorrow.

Today, I will finish all the predator-proofing and pre-paint some of the interior pieces in order to keep moving and not lose any more time than necessary. Luckily, from reading the posts on this forum, I know I'm not alone!! I don't understand WHY my husband is surprised that I went and bought chicks as soon as he said "I'd probably be ok with a few chickens" !!!!!

 

[Anianna]

Prey animals don't like to go into darker places because predators are in the darkness and the prey animals can't see to defend themselves. Livestock experts discovered this years ago with cows that were afraid to go into the dark chutes to the slaughter house. Ranches that changed to white-walled, open-top chutes discovered that the cows are no longer afraid to go in. They just want to be able to see.

So, if you squat down to your chickens' level and look at that coop from the run, does it look dark? Consider using some clear corrugated roofing that protects your coop but still lets light in. Give them sort of a sun roof. We have this on one of our barns where we don't have electricity and it makes all the difference being able to see in there, even late into the evening.

 

[ShanCarl1971]

Anianna, they don't have a coop yet..... that's the problem .......I'm still building it, and they HATE to come back into the house at night. The run is predator-proofed enough that they can spend their days outside when we are at home, since we spend the majority of our time outside as well, but they really want to be out there 24/7. They protest LOUDLY and for a LONG time when I force them back inside our house at night. Believe me, their coop will NOT be dark! It's a temporary 4x8 coop, with four full-sized windows and the inside will be painted either a light greenish yellow or a pale light blue. (haven't decided yet) I just have to hurry and get it finished so they will have a place to sleep at night and not have to come back into the house.

 

[Anianna]

Quote:
Ah, I misread your original post. We don't have a coop, yet either. We have decided just to build a wall of hardware cloth onto the front of our open rabbit barn so half of that is the coop. It will be cheaper, quicker, and give the chickens more room than I had planned for the coop.

 

[diggergal]

My dh just asked me this weekend if any of my crazy chicken friends on-line ever mention whether their relationship survived the building of the chicken coops.

My dh has been working feverishly on the outdoor run. There are a few minor details yet to finish on the coop/shed. And of course after that regrading and landscaping around the coop/run area. I have 17 six week old chickies waiting to come out of the coop. Most of the time my dh is quite patient, though he thinks I have lost my mind wanting chickens. This weekend after working looong days and coming home and working on the run, dealing with the knats and bugs, he had about had it with me and my new chickies.

 

[LadyWoodsong]

We did survive the coop-renovation project. We started we a very old dilapidated building. You can see pics on my BYC page. My husband was very gracious about it. Although I didn't bring the chicks home before the coop was built.

Before I got chickens i heard or read somewhere: "Don't bring the fish home, 'til you have the fishbowl".....and I figured that was probably wise advice. But on the other hand, some people would probably never get a coop built unless they already had the chicks waiting to get in. haha

 

[ShanCarl1971]

That is EXACTLY why I went ahead and got chicks!!!!! We would have NEVER gotten off our duffs and built everything if there wasn't a reason hanging out in the dining room!! Not to mention, I didn't want him to have time to change his mind!!