Hi all! After reading all your posts for more than a month.... I decided to join you in (virtual) p

[mamahenAtlanta]

I am ADDICTED (to this website) and to everything chicken! My six babies just went into their big house this weekend (I'm looking all over for baby monitors now --but no electricity in the coop--yet) Not planning for power, but I'm as worried about them all alone at night as I was with my (now grown) 5 children..... Guess I'll never be an empty nester! My 6 are almost 5 weeks but they sure seem older?! And they love the new house. I've been taking them out to the run (it's large) for an hour every afternoon the past week. Plan to keep them totally in the coop for a week, though that is hard. I've heard that it will help teach them how to go in at night all by their big girl selves? I had that sad feeling walking thru the garage last nite seeing an empty brooder (but I couldn't WAIT to get their stinky feather-butts out to the coop) Typical parent here.....

 

[lightchick]

Welcome to BYC! So glad you joined! I have 6 girls too.
I put my chicks outside at only 3.5 weeks and they were fine. The first night I had to pick them up and put them inside after dark, but they went in by themselves the next day!
Hope the best for you and your chickies.

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you decided to join our flock. A lot of us were lurkers before joining and all of us are addicted to chickens. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. What kind of chickens do you have?

 

[Aronia]

cool...

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Oh yes, it is hard to kick them out into the real world! I get such empty nest syndrome going on around here when I eventually take them out to the coop, even though at the time I am SO ready for them to move out of my house!!

Yes, lock them in for several days to a week. When you do open the door, don't expect them to go bolting out. They will take their good old time and sometimes a couple more days to venture out. Each time they come out they will get a bit further from the coop until they are comfortable getting far enough away.

Good luck with your flock and welcome to ours!

 

[birdman55]

we put about forty chickens mixed breeds in the coop it took them two days and then two weeks later we put another 20 araucanas in...they were stubborn and took some chasing for about three days....but they learn fas

t...where home is....there free range just like my pit bulls.....and the dogs no there place and leave the birds alone

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

Yes, letting them go outside is hard! They are our babies!

Keep them confined to the coop for a few days so they learn where is home.

 

[lightchick]

we put about forty chickens mixed breeds in the coop it took them two days and then two weeks later we put another 20 araucanas in...they were stubborn and took some chasing for about three days....but they learn fas

t...where home is....there free range just like my pit bulls.....and the dogs no there place and leave the birds alone

Your Pit Bulls are adorable!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC!

 

[mamahenAtlanta]

interesting...... pit bulls in with the flock? Wow. We have an olde English bulldog and I'm terrified of having him near the birds--but then, mine are only 5.5 weeks old. Right now, he watches them thru the fence. (He never saw them while they were in the brooder in the garage). Sometimes he lays quietly by the fence and just watches them like he's amused. And other times he runs circles around the fence scaring them. All in all, they aren't nearly as startled as I would have expected--only when he barks loudly, which he doesn't do much. I'd like to learn how/if/when to introduce a dog (such as mine--he's very big). Harley (dog) is 3 years old neutered and our only dog. He's a bit spoiled and has had our undivided attention since he was a pup. He's outside all day and sleeps in the house.