This hardly constitutes an emergency, but this seemed like the best forum to get some support. My 5 week old chicks are fully feathered out and getting big. I took the day off from work today to finish their coop, since their double-wide cardboard box is just about worn out and a little too small for these girls. They were in the run all day and seemed delighted. I put the roof on and put in the perches and a couple other finishing touches on the coop while they got used to the run.
I loaded up the coop with rice hulls and DE. When I put them in they seemed delighted, but as dusk set in they started a ruckus and now they're huddled in a ball, but it's almost 80 outside still. They've spent the last several nights (a week maybe?) in the dark without their heat lamp. Is it just the strange new surroundings that has them clutching together? They've been perching on a 1/2 inch diameter bamboo stick...now with a 60" of bi-level 3-1/2 inch wide flat perch, they're sleeping on the ground.
I loaded up the coop with rice hulls and DE. When I put them in they seemed delighted, but as dusk set in they started a ruckus and now they're huddled in a ball, but it's almost 80 outside still. They've spent the last several nights (a week maybe?) in the dark without their heat lamp. Is it just the strange new surroundings that has them clutching together? They've been perching on a 1/2 inch diameter bamboo stick...now with a 60" of bi-level 3-1/2 inch wide flat perch, they're sleeping on the ground.
