Help! I've 30 chicks that got 1st taste of outdoors this wknd PICTURES

[Kelly G]

So...my 30 chicks (ranging for 2wks to 3.5wks) got to go outside this weekend for the very first time and enjoy the beautiful 83F temperatures. They had a BALL! They used the ramp all weekend long: up, down, in out - over and over and over, again!

In fact, they had so much fun that they didn't want to go back inside! So last night, my husband and I chased down the 30 chicks, and PUT them back in their coop (they've been in there for 2 weeks).

Tonight, I thought I'd wait until sunset to see if the the fools would put themselves to bed. Evidently, no. I had to round up all 30 of them by myself! MAN! They are quite agile and fast at this age!

When will they start to put themselves back in the coop??? I do not have time to catch all 30 of these fools every night....plus it has to be stressfull for them...and I don't want them afraid of me!

Anyway...here are some pictures of them from this weekend:

Who will be the bravest/first?

...turns out one of the White Rocks took the plunge first:

One of the two new Amaracauna chicks I picked up on Saturday...

...birds of a feather bathe together....

Columbian Wyandotte bath

Gold Laced Wyandotte

Silver Laced Wyandotte:

The other new Amaracauna chick

 

[gritsar]

Try locking them in the coop - no outside time whatsoever - for a few days, perhaps a week.
That trains their itty bitty brains to consider the coop home and the best place to be at night.
Also, about that ramp. Could you attach strips of wood to it horizontally a few inches apart going up? Seems to me the little ones would have a hard time trying to navigate that straight piece of wood.
ETA: Thanks for the cute pics. Made me smile.

 

[Kelly G]

You know....these fools have been locked in there for 2 weeks!!!! What the ?????

 

[Kelly G]

....and yes...I will attatch some pieces of wood for traction - good idea

Most were flying up and down, but the little ones were not able to fly yet.

 

[KattyKillFish]

absolutely BEAUTIFUL pictures! glad to see they are out and about, scritch-scratching around and dusting

 

[ranchhand]

Great looking chicks, mine will be 3 weeks on Tues. and I MUST get them out before we all go nuts! A couple of cleats across the ramp will give them confidence and keep splinters out of those little feet.

If they've been there 2 weeks and haven't figured it out, I don't know what to say. Hmmm- just a thought, but are they able to go up the ramp without the cleats? Mabe it's too hard to do?


Great pics, btw!

 

[redoak]

Great pics, thanks for sharing

 

[fairladi_chick]

when we first started to let our barrded rocks go outside,, every night we had to put them back in, for a few weeks, then some would go back in by themselvs but we still had to put them in at night. we found them huddled in a corner of the pen sleeping, there was no chaseing needed, since they were sleeping. we put them in & closed the door, in the morning we open the door & they all went out.

 

[johnmayersquare]

Sooooo cute! They are beautiful! Congrats!

 

[vermontgal]

Do you have any really good treats - like earwigs or meal worms? That might help with getting them in the coop. It's probably not too early to start teaching them words. The only word my chickens know reliably is "Treats".

If you start handing out good treats, then the chicks will chirp to each other that there is something good going on, and they will all come running.

Very cute. I am not sure about my willpower on the chick orders this spring...