- Mar 26, 2014
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Hi there everyone! I am the proud mother of 6 chicks, and they are about 5-6 weeks old. They were inside in a homemade brooder for a few weeks while we built our Garden Coop and now they have been out in the coop for a little over a week. We live in South Texas, so it is plenty warm here. Already.
Anyway, last weekend we finished up the coop enough to where they would be safe because we had plans to travel out of town for Easter. There were a couple of things we hadn't finished (the ladder to get into the coop and some other cosmetic stuff), but they were staying in the coop, so I wasn't too worried about it. Our Garden Coop is completely predator proof...1/4 inch hardware cloth buried 12 inches below, so I am not worried about their safety. Last Friday before we left, we locked them in the coop part and had a friend come by to check on them while we were gone. So, they were locked in for 2.5 days. I had read that you should lock them in for a week. When we returned I let them out to roam the run (I got to thinking that maybe the week part was for those that free range) and, because the ladder wasn't done, have put them up and let them out every night/morning since last Sunday. Every time I put them up at night (picking them up one by one) they always start making all this crazy noise and pile into a corner. Eventually the noise settles down, but it takes them a little bit.
Today, we finished the ladder and the other stuff and, I just knew they were going to waltz themselves right up that ladder come bed time. Well, I was dead wrong. I went out 3 different times to see if they were making any progress, but no. Finally, right before dark, I "helped" them up the ladder and into the coop. They all wanted to come right back out! I even tried a treat. I coerced (picked them up and put them there) them to their roost, but they all ended up making all that awful squawking and trying to pile into the corner.
I don't know if they are scared or what the deal is...does anyone have any suggestions for me? Did I just not lock them in for long enough? How do I fix it?
We have the ability to close the door to the coop at night. Since the coop and run are completely safe, I am not too worried, but feel like they should sleep inside. I worry they might lay to close to the edge of the run and (even though it's 1/4 inch cloth) something might be able to get at them.
In the picture, you can see the door they need to go in at night. We modified the Garden Coop to our liking.
Thank you in advance for any advice!
Anyway, last weekend we finished up the coop enough to where they would be safe because we had plans to travel out of town for Easter. There were a couple of things we hadn't finished (the ladder to get into the coop and some other cosmetic stuff), but they were staying in the coop, so I wasn't too worried about it. Our Garden Coop is completely predator proof...1/4 inch hardware cloth buried 12 inches below, so I am not worried about their safety. Last Friday before we left, we locked them in the coop part and had a friend come by to check on them while we were gone. So, they were locked in for 2.5 days. I had read that you should lock them in for a week. When we returned I let them out to roam the run (I got to thinking that maybe the week part was for those that free range) and, because the ladder wasn't done, have put them up and let them out every night/morning since last Sunday. Every time I put them up at night (picking them up one by one) they always start making all this crazy noise and pile into a corner. Eventually the noise settles down, but it takes them a little bit.
Today, we finished the ladder and the other stuff and, I just knew they were going to waltz themselves right up that ladder come bed time. Well, I was dead wrong. I went out 3 different times to see if they were making any progress, but no. Finally, right before dark, I "helped" them up the ladder and into the coop. They all wanted to come right back out! I even tried a treat. I coerced (picked them up and put them there) them to their roost, but they all ended up making all that awful squawking and trying to pile into the corner.
I don't know if they are scared or what the deal is...does anyone have any suggestions for me? Did I just not lock them in for long enough? How do I fix it?
We have the ability to close the door to the coop at night. Since the coop and run are completely safe, I am not too worried, but feel like they should sleep inside. I worry they might lay to close to the edge of the run and (even though it's 1/4 inch cloth) something might be able to get at them.
In the picture, you can see the door they need to go in at night. We modified the Garden Coop to our liking.
Thank you in advance for any advice!