Okay, so the girls are now over 8 weeks and the night time low is 66 with no rain and it looks nice for at least the next few nights. I feel absolutely worried and i don't want them to go outside
LOL But I know they are ready! they are too tall for their indoor "coop" (aka the tub) and they are fully feathered; plus they love being outside!
I guess I am posting because I guess i'm needing a bit of encouragement. LOL and would love to hear how your first night out has been.?
First night I had put chicks out they weren't "out" per say. I actually locked them in the hen house for 2 days to make sure they had the idea of where to go. I tossed and turned all night wondering if they were cold, wondering if they had a full belly, somehow got wet from their waterer, something snuck in and stole them.....the scenarios were endless....next morning I got up, waited for the sun to peak, ran outside and they were all happy as a clam and the hen house was warm from their natural heat...I worried for nothing...lol
I have always been nervous...and this is my third time having chicks! They absolutely LOVE the new/more space. My 9 week old chicks survived 32 degree temps, though they did have a heat lamp.
Chicken mama's....UNITE!! Be BRAVE!! They'll be just fine. Tuck them into their little coops and get some rest. Oh, let's face it...I was in the same boat as all of you are right now!
I was freaked out, but buttoned up the coop and went to bed. Best night's sleep I'd had in weeks "brooding" over the brooder box in the house.
Isn't it crazy how attached we get to our little fuzzy-butts!!
Mine were 5.5 weeks when they went out on April 1st. I wasn't enjoying them anymore- the mess, the dust, the brooder chores...UGH! The coop wasn't quite finished yet - but I was! They were nicely feathered and I had taken the lamp off them and begun cracking a window where they were and they seemed to like it. I put them, a heat lamp and a wireless thermometer out there - oh, and got no sleep. I kept getting up to check them and as the temp in the coop crept down to between 29 and 30 I was panicking. But they were fine - all snuggled down together under the heat lamp, which I had in the center of the coop aimed at the floor. The next day I moved the lamp more into a corner so they'd have more concentrated heat. The second night was almost as bad for me as the first, but because they'd gotten up early and were doing chickeny things, I figured they'd survived the night before so they would be fine. That night I only checked on them once - and discovered them huddled up together again, but not even near the corner where the heat lamp was! They were sleeping right in front of the pop door instead. Guess they didn't need the lamp for their comfort as badly as I needed it for mine! The heat lamp came out. A day or so later, this:
I felt like the worst chicken mama ever! Went out, checked their food and water, and fully expected to find what I was most afraid of. They not only survived, they wanted to go out into the temporary pen I had been setting up for them. They were happy to see me, still exploring their new digs, and having a great time. Now the coop is finished, and this is what they woke up to last week:
Yep, more snow. And they are all doing just fine at 12 weeks today. My next batch of chicks will not be brooded in the house - they will be outside from the get-go in a sectioned off part of the coop and I'll use the straw cave/heating pad method for them. Oh, and I'll order a little later in the year!
Thank you all for sharing! It is very encouraging to here everyones experiences. The girls did fantastic! And I actually slept fairly well. I did open my window as to keep an open ear. LOL not necessary but very good for my peace of mind. I think all i need to do now is weather proof the 1 foot slit vents, so rain won't poor in on them at night if it rains.
Blooie thanks for sharing your pics the coop looks very nice!
LOL But I know they are ready! they are too tall for their indoor "coop" (aka the tub) and they are fully feathered; plus they love being outside!
