Bad chick mom

[Bluerosesd]

Today I let my chicks ( almost a month old ) out in the run with the coop open in case they needed to get in. Well I had to take my granddaughter to a visit with her mom and it started raining before I got back. I showed them their coop when I let them out and was hoping they would remember it. When I got back the poor babies were under the ramp wet and cold. I left the tote I carry them from their brooder to the run and back hoping if they didn’t go to the coop they would go to it. They didn’t. When they saw me they started running toward me chirping. I kinda walked them to the corner and the poor things were so happy to see me. They were making little peeping noises and let me coral them into the tote with no fight. When I got them in the house they were so happy peeping when I put them in their brooder. I feel so bad they were out in the rain. I know they will when they get used to the outside but they are so small right now. I am terrified they will get sick from being wet. Thank goodness it wasn’t to cold today and they weren’t in the rain to long.

 

[Folly's place]

They need to be in the coop first, so they understand what it's for. Without a broody mom, you need to stand in for her and help them figure it out! I think they needed their heat source before you got back, even without the rain. Poor babies!
Mary

 

[junebuggena]

Then I must be a monster. I usually have my chicks off heat completely by 3 weeks of age. I brood in an unheated garage with a concrete floor that keeps it a near constant 45*, year round. They spend a week in there without heat and then they go out to coop/run, regardless of weather. They are a lot tougher than most people think.

 

[ashlandco]

Then I must be a monster. I usually have my chicks off heat completely by 3 weeks of age. I brood in an unheated garage with a concrete floor that keeps it a near constant 45*, year round. They spend a week in there without heat and then they go out to coop/run, regardless of weather. They are a lot tougher than most people think.

Agreed

 

[Folly's place]

My ambient temps vary too much here in April, so mine will go out to their separate area in the coop, with their heat lamp, until they are a couple of weeks older. I have also had brooder raised chicks get confused outside, and run screaming towards me! Poor little guys weren't sure where to go to bed, and they had been in the coop already!
Spring can't come and stay too soon! We're having rain, freezing rain, and whatever tonight into tomorrow. Ugh!
Mary

 

[Sutherlandfarms]

Today I let my chicks ( almost a month old ) out in the run with the coop open in case they needed to get in. Well I had to take my granddaughter to a visit with her mom and it started raining before I got back. I showed them their coop when I let them out and was hoping they would remember it. When I got back the poor babies were under the ramp wet and cold. I left the tote I carry them from their brooder to the run and back hoping if they didn’t go to the coop they would go to it. They didn’t. When they saw me they started running toward me chirping. I kinda walked them to the corner and the poor things were so happy to see me. They were making little peeping noises and let me coral them into the tote with no fight. When I got them in the house they were so happy peeping when I put them in their brooder. I feel so bad they were out in the rain. I know they will when they get used to the outside but they are so small right now. I am terrified they will get sick from being wet. Thank goodness it wasn’t to cold today and they weren’t in the rain to long.

Off topic but I love your profile pic.

I agree with them being tougher than people think. I grew up on a farm. Very different than backyard chickens. I still take extra precautions with mine but I’m paranoid

 

[Ridgerunner]

Don't beat yourself up too much, anybody that has had chicks for a while has done things we'd rather not have. It sounds like yours turned out OK.

I don't know how many chicks you have or how big that coop is, but it's likely bigger than your brooder. Lock them in that coop section only for a week so they get used to it before you open the pop door and let them have access to the run. Not only will they be a week older but they will know the coop is there. Will yours use the coop if something similar happens again? I don't know but at least yours knew enough to get under the ramp. I fall more in line with June's thinking. Give them options and let them figure it out. But by housing them in the coop for a while they at least know it is there. I don't turn mine loose at four weeks, I wait until five. Bu at five they are on their own and mixed with the adult flock. I've never lost a chick doing this, even if it rained.

Since you mentioned ramp I assume you have an elevated coop. Normally chickens like to sleep in the same place and will return there when it starts to get dark. But I find that does not work so well with elevated coops. Even if I house them in my elevated grow-our coop for a week or more before I open the pop door, they tend to go to bed under the ramp. So at dark I go down and toss them into the coop and lock them in for the night. I've had some broods learn immediately and start going to bed on their own in the coop often one night. I've had some take three weeks before the last one figured it out. What normally happens is that after 2 or 3 nights a few start going in on their own and after a week they all are, but each brood is different.

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree, I hope you are right, cause I just took my 12 day old meats down to the coop. They have an outside shelter, and were happily stretched out on the sun. I have been wanting to get them out, rapidly getting too big for the brooder, and you just gave me a little encouragement.

Then I must be a monster. I usually have my chicks off heat completely by 3 weeks of age. I brood in an unheated garage with a concrete floor that keeps it a near constant 45*, year round. They spend a week in there without heat and then they go out to coop/run, regardless of weather. They are a lot tougher than most people think.