So today was the day! At 15 weeks of age, the girls are finally in the coop. They had been living in a sectioned off part of our smallest bedroom.
It has taken us 6 months to build the coop and today it is officially finished enough to safely house chickens.
We never thought it would take this long, but DP has been working a lot of hours and she is the one with the best carpentry skills (although I learned quite a bit this summer). This is a good time to get them acclimated, as we are having a bit of a warm spell this week. Their "bedroom" window has been open, so we haven't turned the heat on in the house. Right now it is warmer outside than it has been inside for the past few weeks! We still have a few finishing touches to make, plus the run to build, and will post pictures then.
I'm hoping the girls like it, although it was hard to tell when I saw them last. We got them situated around 5pm. They seemed happy enough... they walked all around pecking at things and looking intently at everything! They were so curious! We tried to teach them about the ramp going up to the roost, by spreading FD mealworms on it, but I think they're still learning. I may need to add more footholds, as they were sliding a bit. (There is a about a 5 inch space between each foothold.) They are used to having a roost, so at least that isn't new. All in all, they seemed quite happy with the set up, until it started getting dark and they realized they weren't being brought back to the house, like we usually do after letting them have outside time in the fenced in veggie garden area.
Since it was starting to get dark, I decided that I should encourage them to go up onto the roost. I held out a mealworm to coax the girls over, bending down to hold it over the ramp. All at once, Hazel, my BR, Kitty, my SS, and Sassafrass, one of the EEs, decided to jump on my back all at once! Sassafrass didn't quite make it as she bounced off one of the other two. I tried to get the two that are on my back to go on the ramp by twisting and dipping my back toward the ramp. This causes a bunch of squawking. I crane my neck around to see Kitty doing a dance on Hazel's back, and neither one of them seem happy about this! Eventually I got them on my arms, but they refused to step on the ramp. They were holding my fingers like preschool children being dropped off to kindergarten for the first time! Finally, I was able to coax/help every bird up the ramp.
There they sat, looking at me imploringly. I started to back away towards the door, muttering soothingly to them, when Lola, the EE who is usually standoffish, flies the four feet separating us and lands squarely on my chest! This also causes Maple, the Buff Orpington and Sassafrass to fly up and try to land on the windowsills. Sassafrass lands ok, and manages to teeter ungracefully. Maple is clinging to the hardware cloth like a big buff spider.
She has caught her toe and can't get down. I set Lola on the roost, and gently lift Maple off the hardware cloth and set her back on the roost, cooing gently to her. Hopefully there is a learning curve regarding the unperchability of hardware cloth!
I set Sassafrass on the roost, and most are finally settling down, but Lola is trying to squirm under Sassafrass and Shirley, the CW. I move Sophie, the SLW over to a free spot, as her neighbors, Kitty and Delilah the BA, have settled down and there is barely room for her to stand, let alone sit. Delilah takes this as a sign she should venture briefly on the lower windowsill, but quickly got back onto the roost again. Good bird! The settled ones are purring at this point. I've never heard a chicken purr! Everyone is roosting comfortably with the exception of; Sassafrass, who has to stand because Lola keeps goosing her; Lola who is still agitated and trying to get under her neighbors, and Maple, who is standing exactly where I placed her after rescuing her. She hasn't budged an inch. I decided to make my exit at this time, and hope for the best.
I checked on them 1/2 hour later by shining a redlight flashlight in the window. The seem to be comfortable, but are not asleep. I'll be making another inspection before I go to bed.
I am seriously considering getting a webcam or baby monitor for the coop!
I'm hoping the girls like it, although it was hard to tell when I saw them last. We got them situated around 5pm. They seemed happy enough... they walked all around pecking at things and looking intently at everything! They were so curious! We tried to teach them about the ramp going up to the roost, by spreading FD mealworms on it, but I think they're still learning. I may need to add more footholds, as they were sliding a bit. (There is a about a 5 inch space between each foothold.) They are used to having a roost, so at least that isn't new. All in all, they seemed quite happy with the set up, until it started getting dark and they realized they weren't being brought back to the house, like we usually do after letting them have outside time in the fenced in veggie garden area.
Since it was starting to get dark, I decided that I should encourage them to go up onto the roost. I held out a mealworm to coax the girls over, bending down to hold it over the ramp. All at once, Hazel, my BR, Kitty, my SS, and Sassafrass, one of the EEs, decided to jump on my back all at once! Sassafrass didn't quite make it as she bounced off one of the other two. I tried to get the two that are on my back to go on the ramp by twisting and dipping my back toward the ramp. This causes a bunch of squawking. I crane my neck around to see Kitty doing a dance on Hazel's back, and neither one of them seem happy about this! Eventually I got them on my arms, but they refused to step on the ramp. They were holding my fingers like preschool children being dropped off to kindergarten for the first time! Finally, I was able to coax/help every bird up the ramp.
There they sat, looking at me imploringly. I started to back away towards the door, muttering soothingly to them, when Lola, the EE who is usually standoffish, flies the four feet separating us and lands squarely on my chest! This also causes Maple, the Buff Orpington and Sassafrass to fly up and try to land on the windowsills. Sassafrass lands ok, and manages to teeter ungracefully. Maple is clinging to the hardware cloth like a big buff spider.
I checked on them 1/2 hour later by shining a redlight flashlight in the window. The seem to be comfortable, but are not asleep. I'll be making another inspection before I go to bed.
I am seriously considering getting a webcam or baby monitor for the coop!
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