TinmanJones
In the Brooder
- Mar 31, 2016
- 17
- 10
- 39
I'm a brand new chicken owner.
So new, I got my first hens today around 2:00.
They belonged to my boss.
They weren't intergrated correctly to his flock, so he decided to give his newest 3 to me & he returned to his original flock of 7.
He told me these 3 were very standoffish from his original 7, who had been together since birth.
So it was late in the afternoon when I got them home. I decided to close off their run & place them automatically in their coop. (Coop is a 4'wide x 8'long with a 5'tall sloped roof. This is a large Chicken Tractor, so coop is built up on top of the run area.)
After locking them up tight in their coop I sat out & observed them as they sloooowly began exploring this new place. I have a sliding window where I can peek in & see my birds. But mostly I just sat out & listened as they chirped & talked amoung themselves.
As dark approached, I watched more to see if they'd hop up on their roost (there's two roosts in their coop. One lower & one higher).
They didn't. They bunched up in a corner & got comfortable.
I've read a lot here that some people will physically put them on their roost & it only takes a couple of days before they "figure it out."
I don't really have a good way of reaching them in the corner where they are. So this method won't work for me. I did try though. I put on my headlamp & made my way to the side door. My light must've woke them & they moved further out of my reach.
I'm hoping that over time, they'll just "figure it out."
So, with all that said, I'm guessing I'll sit outside all night, until I can't keep my eyes open anyway, & dig myself further into these forums.
The life & times of a new chicken owner.
So new, I got my first hens today around 2:00.
They belonged to my boss.
They weren't intergrated correctly to his flock, so he decided to give his newest 3 to me & he returned to his original flock of 7.
He told me these 3 were very standoffish from his original 7, who had been together since birth.
So it was late in the afternoon when I got them home. I decided to close off their run & place them automatically in their coop. (Coop is a 4'wide x 8'long with a 5'tall sloped roof. This is a large Chicken Tractor, so coop is built up on top of the run area.)
After locking them up tight in their coop I sat out & observed them as they sloooowly began exploring this new place. I have a sliding window where I can peek in & see my birds. But mostly I just sat out & listened as they chirped & talked amoung themselves.
As dark approached, I watched more to see if they'd hop up on their roost (there's two roosts in their coop. One lower & one higher).
They didn't. They bunched up in a corner & got comfortable.
I've read a lot here that some people will physically put them on their roost & it only takes a couple of days before they "figure it out."
I don't really have a good way of reaching them in the corner where they are. So this method won't work for me. I did try though. I put on my headlamp & made my way to the side door. My light must've woke them & they moved further out of my reach.
I'm hoping that over time, they'll just "figure it out."
So, with all that said, I'm guessing I'll sit outside all night, until I can't keep my eyes open anyway, & dig myself further into these forums.
The life & times of a new chicken owner.
