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[Firstchic]

New mom to old chicks. They are a year old, moved them to my house on Saturday 25th, One of the chicks gave me two eggs on Sunday, but the rest of them (six in all) have done nothing. Is it stress? How long does it take them to acclimate to a new home? Also, they had a L a r g e fenced in area at their old home and now in a tractor coop with a run. One other question, in the run area, there is a roost- which they seem to like at night, however, I shoo them into the house part that also has perches. Question: I live in WI and nights are still in the mid to high 30's, is it ok to let them roost on the outside roost?

 

[popsicle]

First, regarding the laying. Some birds can take a few weeks to acclimate, and some settle in right away. Don't worry too much.

Were they previously kept in a heated coop? If not, they should be fine roosting outside as long as it's secure from predators--including no holes big enough for a raccoon to reach in and yank heads off the birds (meaning the run is fenced with hardware cloth, not chicken wire). Personally, I'd keep chasing them into the shelter, until they figure it out. Is there light inside?

 

[Firstchic]

No heat in previous coop, they had about 60 other birds to keep them warm. I did not think about a light inside, I thought that is why they went into the coop-for darkness. Am I wrong? Thanks for your reply.

 

[krzygrl65]

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When I got my hens I noticed one of them wasn't laying eggs at all, and til this day she still isn't, I don't care about that though. When I got the hens they were suppose to be around 8 to 9 month old. Well there over a year now. The one chicken that has never laid an egg has always had a real hard abdomen, Can anyone tell me why? Now I've been treating her going on 4 weeks and feels better but not cured for respiratory I guess. At first she was breathing hard with gurgling. She stands like she egg bounded, but I know that's not it because she's never laid since I had her. Her Vent is clean and light tissue around it but her abdomen has always been hard and yellowish purplish color. Can anyone tell me if that's just the way she is or has something always been wrong with it that may be causing the sickness? Please help on this, Like I said its going on for weeks now for the sickness treating her with antibiotics, But this abdomen thing has got me puzzled. My e-mail is [email protected] and number is 530-321-0291 would really like to save her and help her out! I don't care if she's not a la

 

[popsicle]

No heat in previous coop, they had about 60 other birds to keep them warm. I did not think about a light inside, I thought that is why they went into the coop-for darkness. Am I wrong? Thanks for your reply.

Depending on how the shelter is built, at dusk when it is maybe just light enough for the birds to be outside, it may be quite dark inside the coop. Maybe even a little LED puck light would encourage them to find the indoor roost, and then it can be turned off once they're all in. However, I think continuing to heard them in will eventually get them in the habit.

 

[Firstchic]

Thank you so much. What a great site to stumble upon. And, at my age, I do stumble.