Hi all! New chicken mama here with a question. I have 5 chicks/pullets, about 4/5 weeks old. Right now they are still in the brooder in my house but without any heat and doing fine. We are building the coop outside next week but don't plan to move them out till they get all their feathers. Half of them are almost all the way there.
Here is my situation: At the end of April, we will be out of town for 5 days. They'll be about 8/9 weeks old. I have heard that when moving chicks from brooder to coop it's a good idea to "lock them in" to reaffirm that the coop is now home and to encourage them to return to it at night. I have a neighbor with chickens who can come over once a day to check their food and water, but otherwise I'd like to keep them locked in the coop while we're gone. Will they be ok like that? And should I wait to move them to the coop until we actually leave? I would like to move them out as soon as I can, but I'm afraid they'll get confused or resentful if they have access to both the coop and the run for a week or two and then suddenly get locked into the coop.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Here is my situation: At the end of April, we will be out of town for 5 days. They'll be about 8/9 weeks old. I have heard that when moving chicks from brooder to coop it's a good idea to "lock them in" to reaffirm that the coop is now home and to encourage them to return to it at night. I have a neighbor with chickens who can come over once a day to check their food and water, but otherwise I'd like to keep them locked in the coop while we're gone. Will they be ok like that? And should I wait to move them to the coop until we actually leave? I would like to move them out as soon as I can, but I'm afraid they'll get confused or resentful if they have access to both the coop and the run for a week or two and then suddenly get locked into the coop.
Thoughts? Suggestions?