Help?!!Chicks freaking out!!

[Deviledeggmama]

I put my 18 eight week chicks mixed flock outside for the first time two nights ago. They have been living in the same coop but it was in the garage. Yesterday was the first time they were outside and everybody was a little tepid besides the 2 that could care less. Today they warmed up to it and everyone was out. I went to lock them out for the night and one girl was just kept making a call. I checked her nothing looked wrong except her crop was quite full. Then I noticed most of them were..so no biggie. I tried to shoe them into the coop nobody wanted to go in. Once I got them in they were freaking out and piling on top of each other, I couldn’t calm them. I checked for predators in and around and nothing. Freaked me out. What is up with this behavior?

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I put my 18 eight week chicks mixed flock outside for the first time two nights ago. They have been living in the same coop but it was in the garage. Yesterday was the first time they were outside and everybody was a little tepid besides the 2 that could care less. Today they warmed up to it and everyone was out. I went to lock them out for the night and one girl was just kept making a call. I checked her nothing looked wrong except her crop was quite full. Then I noticed most of them were..so no biggie. I tried to shoe them into the coop nobody wanted to go in. Once I got them in they were freaking out and piling on top of each other, I couldn’t calm them. I checked for predators in and around and nothing. Freaked me out. What is up with this behavior?

Chickens are creatures of habit. They were used to being in the garage and it's scary and stressful to them to have new surroundings. I would recommend keeping them locked in the new coop for a weeks or so until they become accustomed to it... the chances of them returning there are greater. Make it a great place by feeding them treats. They do just about anything for treats!

I have a hen that was brooded in the garage with 3 other chicks. They got to go outside regularly in a ground cage, but nights were in the garage. I had to wait for them to be older to integrate them into an existing flock, and it was successful, mostly. There is still one hen, my Australorp, who continues to return to the garage to lay eggs. It's gotten so we cannot leave the door open at all, or she will be in there thrashing around, looking for the perfect place to lay. Crazy chicken!

 

[aart]

They have been living in the same coop but it was in the garage.

So you moved their coop out of the garage?

Chickens are creatures of habit. They were used to being in the garage and it's scary and stressful to them to have new surroundings. I would recommend keeping them locked in the new coop for a weeks or so until they become accustomed to it... the chances of them returning there are greater.

This^^^

 

[Deviledeggmama]

Yes they were moved out of the garage, the whole coop. It was built in there and thats where they stayed til it warmed up. They were fine eventually. I figured they were just scared but I had never seen that and I was afraid they were goung to hurt each other. Thanks!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

They will be highly suspicious of anything new. My old Seramas refused to set foot in their run after I raked it out and put fresh soil in. They were afraid of the dirt!

 

[aart]

They were fine eventually. I figured they were just scared but I had never seen that and I was afraid they were goung to hurt each other. Thanks!

OhGood. Yes they a can get into quite the panic...it can be disturbing,
best to try and stay calm as your anxiety can increase theirs.
Talk softly move slow.