First time chick Mom...here is my dilemma, I have four week old chicks, big girls, lots of feathers. They spend their days in their coop/run, equipped with heat lamp for the chillier days, and at night they sleep in a covered laundry basket on the kitchen table. Getting way too big for this set up. Covered the coop with a tarp at night, does drop to about 50 degrees here in Idaho. But every night around nine the girls start ranting and raving until I put them in their laundry basket. Usually within twenty minutes they are sound asleep, I would like them to stay in their coop at night, but they are still my babies and i don't want them to be upset either, any advice???
I live in Spokane, WA. out in the wilds by Nine Mile. I don't know about spoiling chickens but I also have new chicks. I started them out in March in an upstairs sitting area that we never use. Once they got too big for their basket, my husband built an area in the chicken coop to put the chicks, food and water. It has gotten below freezing a couple of times and the chicks did just fine. Do you have small animal litter on the floor of the chicken coop? The litter will help keep the floor warm and it can be soft to nest in. Chickens are prey to large birds so the chickens may feel safe and secure in an upside down basket. Place the basket in the coop until they feel safe in the coop.
I hope you continue to enjoy your chickens. I know I have issues with Red Tail Hawks aka chicken hawks. 
I let my chickens free range during the day and they put themselves to bed at night in their coop. I have large, bushy trees all over so if a hawk comes by, the chickens can run and hide. Their favorite place to hide is in my kitchen, if the back door is open and under my big red ford truck. The cats will hide under the truck with the chickens. It's funny to see my little calico cat Pickels, hiding under the truck with the chickens. the chickens are about twice her size. 
I can watch my animals all day. The things they do are just funny. 
