I'm so excited
and so scared, too
. Driving from NC to MD to pick them up from a friend's boyfriend. I'm hoping to come home with one mom plus four babies and 5 other hens (or pullets - they're all < 10 months old).
The coop is finished. Finished up the nest box yesterday, though I still have to put some shavings in it. Food and water is already in the coop, just waiting for the new arrivals. I looked out the window this morning and saw that the automatic pop door had opened, so that's working fine. The run is covered, and I've decided that I'm not going to keep them locked in the coop after I bring them home. They'll be able to go out into their run (about 150sq.ft.) the next day if they want. I think it'll make it easier for the mom to watch over her babies. I'm not even sure how old the babies are at this point. I think maybe a month or so. I've got a chair for myself set up in the run so I can sit out there and get to know the girls. At this point I think I'll keep them locked up in the coop/run for at least a week before I start letting them out to explore the back yard. Right now they all free range, so I'm sure they're going to want to get out - but I don't want to have to chase them down. Going to try to train them to come to a rattling can of scratch before I start leaving the door open for them.
I know I'm going to fret about them all the way home, all scrunched together in the car, but I'll just have to keep telling myself that they'll love their new home. I can't wait! I can't wait! We decided to get chickens in December, and have been planning, pulling permits, and building since then. Now we're down to the final stretch. I should have them back at the house sometime Sunday evening. I'll get mom and the babies settled in first and then show the other girls their new home. It'll probably be dark by then, so I'm hoping they'll settle down pretty quickly.
I'll post photos on Monday when everyone's up and about - I'll be so happy, I just know I'll have to share.
The coop is finished. Finished up the nest box yesterday, though I still have to put some shavings in it. Food and water is already in the coop, just waiting for the new arrivals. I looked out the window this morning and saw that the automatic pop door had opened, so that's working fine. The run is covered, and I've decided that I'm not going to keep them locked in the coop after I bring them home. They'll be able to go out into their run (about 150sq.ft.) the next day if they want. I think it'll make it easier for the mom to watch over her babies. I'm not even sure how old the babies are at this point. I think maybe a month or so. I've got a chair for myself set up in the run so I can sit out there and get to know the girls. At this point I think I'll keep them locked up in the coop/run for at least a week before I start letting them out to explore the back yard. Right now they all free range, so I'm sure they're going to want to get out - but I don't want to have to chase them down. Going to try to train them to come to a rattling can of scratch before I start leaving the door open for them.
I know I'm going to fret about them all the way home, all scrunched together in the car, but I'll just have to keep telling myself that they'll love their new home. I can't wait! I can't wait! We decided to get chickens in December, and have been planning, pulling permits, and building since then. Now we're down to the final stretch. I should have them back at the house sometime Sunday evening. I'll get mom and the babies settled in first and then show the other girls their new home. It'll probably be dark by then, so I'm hoping they'll settle down pretty quickly.
I'll post photos on Monday when everyone's up and about - I'll be so happy, I just know I'll have to share.
