((((Cutestchickenfarmer)))

[skatcatla]

Hi there! I seem to recall you posted that you had already moved your chicks outside, and I was wondering how they are doing?

I think your chicks were about week ahead of mine, which are a little over 2 weeks old.

I'd love to move them out maybe a little sooner than the 5-6 weeks I've been reading, so I'd love your feedback. (I'm thinking maybe 4 weeks old. It's mild here in So. Cal)

 

[CutestChickenFarmer]

Yup, they've been officially evicted, and couldn't be happier! I'm getting ready to post pictures of their 4-week-old birthday party/feeding frenzy in a few minutes.

Their first day out, I came home from work and put them in their coop and let them stay in there all night. Of course, I was a wreck, but they were f-i-n-e. The next day, I had off from work, so I let them out of their coop and let them run around inside their dog kennel (I guess it's a chicken run, now!) while I kept a frequent eye on them. The first night back in the coop was a nightmare. Ever try to catch a chicken? Yeah, I was a sweaty mess!

The next night, I cut a squash in half and lured them up into their coop (like the Pied Piper!) and shut the door behind them. They seem to look forward to the 'catch-me-if-you-can' (but if you give me a treat, I'm all yours) routine every evening.

It's been hot as H3LL here, so there's no worries about temperature issues.

Thanks for asking about my girls!!

Susan

 

[Southern28Chick]

Just so you know, in my experience it's easier to get your chicks to go into their chicken house at night if you keep them in the chicken house for the first couple of days they are out of your house. That way they now that it's their safe place and once it starts to get dark they know that it's time to roost and they go back into the house. That's what worked for me.

 

[CutestChickenFarmer]

What I left out of the story was, on the night I ended up running around catching them, they were already in their coop. It was just a matter of strolling out there and nonchalantly shutting them in for the night. When they saw me, they started cheeping and ran out to see me.

I might have to wait until they're already asleep to sneak in and lock them up.

 

[Southern28Chick]

Quote:
Oh, my chickens don't like me enough to get off their roost to see me. Butt heads.

 

[skatcatla]

Ha I love the squash visual.

Glad to hear they did alright in their "big girl" coop!

 

[CoyoteMagic]

For the first few nights, Waited until it was dark to check on them. They were still in the run. I tossed their feathered butts into the coop and shut the door. After 3 days they got the hint.

One thing to my advantage, The back of the coop backs up to the fence so they couldn't see me coming. I had the door on a string and would pull it shut and tie it to the fencing.