I have some 5-6 week old chicks that outgrew the brooder box, and are currently in a tractor in the garage (due to the incredible rain and flooding we keep having in Texas). I thought I had selected an awesome tractor, but it's not so awesome when you have to crawl into it to catch the little terrorists to put them up for the night. (It's 3x9, but the run is short enough that my only access is by crawling in there. They don't like to be caught, and it's generally a PITA for all of us. Once I put them in the coop area, they stay... but they just don't seem to realize they are supposed to go up there at bedtime.
Does it matter if they decide to just sleep downstairs? They are safe, since they are in the tractor inside the garage. I might have messed up, providing them too nice of a downstairs-- they have a dirt bath, food, water and a board they can perch on. Last night the board was full, two were in the dirt bath and two just snuggled up in shavings.
What should I do? Crawl in there every night to put them to bed? Or just let them be? They won't live in this forever, it's just the interim facility while the permanent coop is ready and they are a little older.
Does it matter if they decide to just sleep downstairs? They are safe, since they are in the tractor inside the garage. I might have messed up, providing them too nice of a downstairs-- they have a dirt bath, food, water and a board they can perch on. Last night the board was full, two were in the dirt bath and two just snuggled up in shavings.
What should I do? Crawl in there every night to put them to bed? Or just let them be? They won't live in this forever, it's just the interim facility while the permanent coop is ready and they are a little older.